An Indian Album, Signed to Mercedes de Acosta
[Signed, Presentation to Mercedes de Acosta] Beaton, Cecil. An Indian Album. First Edition. 1945. Book is in very good condition; dust jacket is in fair condition, but a facsimile underlay allows it to show well. Book is inscribed, “To Mercedes, with love from Cecil.”
World War II gave Cecil Beaton the opportunity to prove himself outside the world of fashion, and much to his own surprise, he did. He went to work for the Royal War Ministry, traveling the world, and on one harrowing occasion, surviving a plane crash. This book is a collection of gorgeous photogravure plates of photographs he took in India while working for the Ministry. Subjects include the glamorous Maharanee of Jaipur, an exclusive colonial club Bombay, sacred Hindu temples, enterprising street merchants, bejeweled Ram Ghopal dancers, and much more.
“The number of holidays in India surprised me. Although Hindus and Moslems [have antipathy] for each other, they enjoy each other’s holidays.”
--Cecil Beaton