Photographs of some of the biggest names in 20th century English literature by Mark Gerson, are for auction at Bonhams. In a career that spanned 40 years Gerson photographed all the great names in British literature including William Golding, Walter de la Mare, Roald Dahl, John Osborne, and Salman Rushdie.  Photographs of all these figures are in the sale together with one of the American writer James Baldwin (above). The photographs are all signed by Mark Gerson and are priced variously at between £400 and 1,500. The auctioneer’s Books, Maps and Manuscripts sale will be held in London on 23 November.

Bonhams Press Release

FAMOUS PHOTOS OF BIGGEST NAMES IN 20TH CENTURY ENGLISH LITERATURE FOR SALE AT BONHAMS

Photographs of some of the biggest names in 20th century English literature by the one of the greatest living literary photographers, Mark Gerson, are for auction at Bonhams at its Books, Maps and Manuscripts sale in London on 23 November.

They include the iconic 1960 picture taken at a Faber and Faber cocktail party showing guest of honour, W H Auden, surrounded by fellow poets T. S. Eliot, Louis MacNeice, Stephen Spender and a young Ted Hughes.  Hughes’ wife, Sylvia Plath, in a letter to her mother wrote of the occasion, “I was terribly proud. Ted looked so at home among the great.”

Also in the sale is the famous photograph of Evelyn Waugh in full ‘lord of the manor’ pose at Combe Florey and a charming image of Dame Edith Sitwell with her cat Leo.  After the sitting, Sitwell wrote to Gerson,

“How kind of you to send me these lovely photographs of Leo.  You have made him so majestic.”

In a career that spanned 40 years Gerson photographed all the great names in British literature including William Golding, Walter de la Mare, Roald Dahl, John Osborne, and Salman Rushdie.  Photographs of all these figures are in the sale together with one of the American writer James Baldwin.

Several of Gerson’s works are in the National Portrait Gallery collection and, in 1996, the Gallery mounted an exhibition, ‘Literati’, featuring some of his most well-known images

The photographs are all signed by Mark Gerson and are priced variously at between £400 and 1,500.

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