Portrait of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Portrait of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021), 1954. Black and white photograph by Baron (Sterling Henry Nahum) (1906-1956)

Portrait of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021), 1954. Black and white photograph by Baron (Sterling Henry Nahum) (1906-1956)

Name/Title

Portrait of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Entry/Object ID

2001.01.02.b

Description

Photograph This black and white 3/4 view portrait shows HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in a Royal British Navy dress uniform with military decorations, standing in front of a rich curtain backdrop with his right hand resting on a table. HRH Prince Philip was a member of the British royal family as the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. He was the longest-serving royal consort in history, from Elizabeth II's accession in 1952 until his death in 2021.

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

Black and white photo on paper

Subject Place

Region

Western Europe

Continent

Europe

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Baron (Sterling Henry Nahum) (1906-1956)

Role

Photographer

Date made

1954

Time Period

20th Century

Notes

PHOTOGRAPHER BIOGRAPHY Born in Manchester, U.K., Sterling Henry Nahum, known professionally as Baron, was a renowned society, arts and court photographer portraying dancers, writers, musicians, foreign dignitaries, designers and more. Initiating his career in his thirties, he first found recognition for his pictures of the ballet. As a friend of Prince Philip he was appointed a Court Photographer to the British Royal Family, taking official photographs for numerous events such as the 1947 wedding of Philip to the then Princess Elizabeth, the christenings of their children Charles and Anne and other occasions. Baron’s first publication, “Baron at The Ballet” (1950), covered his work as a photographer of ballet (1935 to 1950) and is considered one of the most comprehensive collections of ballet photographs featuring nearly 300 photos, as well as sections illustrating, describing and assessing the work of many famous ballet companies. Baron also made television appearances, doing popular short talks on camera basics. In 1954 Baron traveled to New York to promote his second ballet book “Baron Encore”, and there, he was requested by London’s Sunday Graphic (backed by Life magazine) to visit Hollywood to photograph the most glamorous women of film. As a guest of Hollywood’s leading socialite, Harry Crocker, Baron photographed numerous film stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Leslie Caron and Marilyn Monroe. In 1954, he founded Baron Studios in London's upscale Mayfair district, doing commissioned portraits, mainly of leading businessmen. Among the photographers who worked for Baron Studios were Count Zichy and Rex Coleman. The firm continued after Baron's untimely death in 1956 until its purchase in 1974 by photographer Godfrey Argent (1937-2006), who donated the Baron collection of negatives to U.K.'s National Portrait Gallery in 1999.

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Visible image

Height

37.5 cm

Width

29.2 cm

Acquisition

Acquisition Method

Gift

Notes

Legacy collection Donated by Rear-Admiral J. C. Hibbard, Flag Officer Pacific Coast 1953-55, HMC Dockyard, Esquimalt, Victoria, B.C.

Relationships

Related Entries

Notes

2001.01.02.a Portrait of HRH Queen Elizabeth II 2001.01.02.b Portrait of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 2001.01.02.c Portraits of HRH Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (reproductions) 2001.01.62 Portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in the Robes of the Order of the Bath 2001.01.89 Portrait of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada 2018.09.05 Portrait of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II 2018.10.01 Portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II Queen of Canada and HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 2022.04.04 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Queen of Canada 2023.04.13 Portrait of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh