Throughout the exhibition, we get to know something of Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) – the man, the artist, the impresario, the dandy, the performer, the socialite. And this, in a sense, paves the way for what follows during the decadent period of the bright young things during the 1920s and 30s. The exhibition starts with a poignant image of the young Cecil Beaton, sitting in bed as a child, where we are told he is reading his mother’s fashion magazines. The space is calling out for a fancy-dress party to be held there. Curated by photography writer Robin Muir, formerly picture editor at Vogue, this vast series of Beaton’s works along with accompanying albums, catalogues and paintings have, as ever, been beautifully staged by the team at the Millennium Gallery. So, we are fortunate in Sheffield to have this touring photography exhibition here until 4 July 2021, part of the regular ongoing partnership between Sheffield Museums and the NPG. Originally scheduled to be shown at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) first in 2020, Cecil Beaton’s Bright Young Things only ended up being open in London for a week before Covid-19 hit. If ever there was a flamboyant series of works to mark the grand return of exhibition visiting after a year’s traumatic hiatus, this is it.
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