Cecil Beaton in China

Like me you probably best know the British photographer Cecil Beaton for his gorgeous portraits of various lords, ladies, assorted nobs, debs and Bright Young Things from before the war. Beaton was massively popular as he knew how to weild the airbrush and make everything and everyone look fabulous. Less known is his war photography – he worked for the Ministry of Information through to 1945. Beaton declared, “The English do not approve of propaganda” and his work was starkly realistic.London’s Imperial War Museum has an exhibition that’s just opened on Beaton’s stunning war photos – 250 are showcased. Cecil Beaton: Theatre of War is running till January 1st 2013.

Beaton did visit China as part of his war work – his subsequent Chinese Album and Diary is available second hand on the internet cheaply. In 1944 Beaton travelled from India,  to China to begin a tour of British outposts around Asia.His China photos are amazing – a favourite of mine below taken in Chengtu (Chengdu). A quick google image search in Beaton and China will show you more. Additionally there are more war photos and China photos from Beaton and an appreciation of his work in this excellent Daily Mail piece.

The Chief of Police and his men at Police Headquarters, Chengtu, Szechuan Province, China, 1944

Beaton in Yunnan, 1944