'Glamour of the Gods' is divine beauty

I went to see the new Glamour of the Gods exhibition today at The National Portrait Gallery for some vintage Hollywood inspiration, and my did i get it.  

The rooms of ninety portraits of the most iconic stars from the 1920's to the 1960's was a pleasurable flashback to a golden era of style, 'glamour' and, well quite frankly; cool. I fell in love at least three times with the likes of James Dean, Cary Grant and Gary Cooper, looking handsome in the truest, most nostalgic sense of the word. Other more dramatic portraits of familiar faces; such as Charlie Chaplin; were charismatic and simply, charming. Delightful. Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Wells provided for a more dramatic photograph to behold.

Marlon Brando

Gary Cooper

And that's not to mention the women of the silver screen, who have graced our lives with familiar images from their glory days. Engaging with the viewer were Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Ginger Rodgers, Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo, I could go on. Ladies then, were breathtakingly beautiful, feminine and demure. 

Absolutely my favourite piece of photography seen today. Marilyn Monroe, 1952

Elizabeth Taylor, 1959.

Rita Hayworth

The exhibition is on until October, and a popular choice for Londoner's and tourist's today it seemed, possibly due the intermittent torrential rain, or inclement weather as the train stations like to inform us of frequently - With an emphasis on not only the star of the shot but the incredible photographers behind the scene - But It is hard to believe these 1920's photos - of some of the greatest captured moments - are very nearly 100 years old. It is quite astonishing the weight and longevity of these iconic people, films and photography throughout the decades since. Even in monochromatic hues, at best: silver screened, the rooms were lit up with the aesthetic, the smart and the glamorous.

Viewing is highly recommended.


National Portrait Gallery: http://www.npg.org.uk:8080/glamour/index.htm
The Exhibition is accompanied by a magnificent book of all the incredible images. Only £20. 


And a wonderful review in The Observer today by Laura Cummings: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/jul/17/glamour-of-gods-kobal-review