Paul Tanqueray
Encyclopedia
Paul Tanqueray was an English
photographer
.
Tanqueray was born in Littlehampton
, Sussex
. Tanqueray first became interested in the theatre
and photography
when he was at Tonbridge School
(1920-1923) and won the school's Photographic prize. Through his contact with an ex-pupil of the Tonbridge School Hugh Cecil
, Tanqueray began his photographic career as one of his pupils.
Paul Tanqueray opened his first studio at 139, High Street, Kensington
in 1925. As London's then youngest photographer, he was in a perfect position to document an era that had become obsessed with youth and modernism. During this time he employed an ex-Cambridge
graduate as his assistant, Cecil Beaton
, until Beaton was taken on by Vogue
.
Five years of success in Kensington led to a move the more fashionable West End of London
at 8, Dover Street, near the Ritz Hotel
. Tanqueray's photographs appeared regularly in the weekly Sketch
and Tatler
and most frequently inside and on the cover of Theatre World. His work, including Ethel Mannin
and his 1929 and 1933 portraits of Anna May Wong
, was also selected and hung at the annual London Salon of Photography.
During the Second World War Tanqueray worked mainly with Chelsea
Home Guard. After the war he re-opened his studio at 30, Thurloe Place in South Kensington
, where his 1950's famous images included Elizabeth Seal
, Dame Joan Plowright
, and actress Claire Bloom
.
Tanqueray retired in 1965, and in two tranches donated his prints in 1975, and his negatives in 1983 to the National Portrait Gallery. Tanqueray died in September 1991.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
photographer
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
.
Tanqueray was born in Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. Tanqueray first became interested in the theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
and photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
when he was at Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
(1920-1923) and won the school's Photographic prize. Through his contact with an ex-pupil of the Tonbridge School Hugh Cecil
Hugh Cecil
Hugh Cecil Saunders was a celebrated English photographer of the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s, who practised under the professional name of Hugh Cecil....
, Tanqueray began his photographic career as one of his pupils.
Paul Tanqueray opened his first studio at 139, High Street, Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
in 1925. As London's then youngest photographer, he was in a perfect position to document an era that had become obsessed with youth and modernism. During this time he employed an ex-Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
graduate as his assistant, Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton
Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton, CBE was an English fashion and portrait photographer, diarist, painter, interior designer and an Academy Award-winning stage and costume designer for films and the theatre...
, until Beaton was taken on by Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
.
Five years of success in Kensington led to a move the more fashionable West End of London
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
at 8, Dover Street, near the Ritz Hotel
Ritz Hotel
The Ritz London is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Piccadilly and overlooking Green Park in London.- History :Swiss hotelier César Ritz, former manager of the Savoy Hotel, opened the hotel on 24 May 1906...
. Tanqueray's photographs appeared regularly in the weekly Sketch
Sketch
Sketch may refer to:Drawing and other visual arts* Sketch , a drawing or other composition that is not intended as a finished work, but a preliminary exploration.* SketchUp, a 3D modeling program.* iSketch, an online drawing game....
and Tatler
Tatler
Tatler has been the name of several British journals and magazines, each of which has viewed itself as the successor of the original literary and society journal founded by Richard Steele in 1709. The current incarnation, founded in 1901, is a glossy magazine published by Condé Nast Publications...
and most frequently inside and on the cover of Theatre World. His work, including Ethel Mannin
Ethel Mannin
Ethel Edith Mannin was a popular British novelist and travel writer. She was born in London into a family with an Irish background....
and his 1929 and 1933 portraits of Anna May Wong
Anna May Wong
Anna May Wong was an American actress, the first Chinese American movie star, and the first Asian American to become an international star...
, was also selected and hung at the annual London Salon of Photography.
During the Second World War Tanqueray worked mainly with Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
Home Guard. After the war he re-opened his studio at 30, Thurloe Place in South Kensington
South Kensington
South Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. It is a built-up area located 2.4 miles west south-west of Charing Cross....
, where his 1950's famous images included Elizabeth Seal
Elizabeth Seal
Elizabeth Seal is a British actress. In 1961, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance in the title role of Irma La Douce.-Career:...
, Dame Joan Plowright
Joan Plowright
Joan Ann Plowright, Baroness Olivier, DBE , better known as Dame Joan Plowright, is an English actress, whose career has spanned over sixty years. Throughout her career she has won two Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award and has been nominated for an Academy Award, an Emmy, and two BAFTA Awards...
, and actress Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom is an English film and stage actress.-Early life:Bloom was born in the North London suburb of Finchley, the daughter of Elizabeth and Edward Max Blume, who worked in sales...
.
Tanqueray retired in 1965, and in two tranches donated his prints in 1975, and his negatives in 1983 to the National Portrait Gallery. Tanqueray died in September 1991.
External links
- Bio at the National Portrait Gallery
- Notes from 2004 National Portrait Gallery exhibition