My Bolivian Aunt

[Cecil Beaton]


A characteristically witty family memoir from Beaton. The "Bolivian Aunt" of the title was Beaton's Aunt Jessie, a beauty who married "a rich, moustachioed Bolivian" and lived a life of drama in South America. Jessie's style, fashion, flair and theatricality captivated Beaton. His own family paled against her colourful, exotic personality. Jessie crops up frequently in his autobiographical writings and a chapter is dedicated to her in The Glass of Fashion. Her style also inspired many of his Edwardian-era costume and set designs, including those for My Fair Lady.


Cecil Beaton. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. London. 1971. First edition. Hardback, octavo; dark-pink cloth-bound boards, dust jacket. 171 pages. 16 hors-texte plates with photographs. English. 225 x 135mm. 0.4kg. 9780297004424. Near fine, in near fine dust jacket; not price-clipped, front free-endpaper clipped at top forecorner.