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Angus McBean 8 June 1904 - 9 June 1990
McBean was born in Newbridge, Monmouthshire, the son of a coal mine surveyor. He bought his first camera - a 2½ x 3½ inch autographic Kodak - and tripod as World War I was ending. Fascinated by the apparently magical properties of photography, he wanted to be able to take pictures of people and sold a gold watch left to him by his grandfather to raise the five pounds necessary for the equipment.
In 1925, after his father's early death, McBean moved with his mother and younger sister to London. He worked for Liberty's department store in the antiques department learning restoration, while his personal life was spent in photography, mask-making and watching plays in the West End theatre.
There were in effect two periods to McBeans career, his pre- and post-war phases. Pre-war he was a lot more confident in himself and experimented successfully with surrealism, indeed his work with the likes of Vivien Leigh are some of the most accessible surrealist photographic images known. Post war he reverted to a more regular style of portraiture photography, nearly always working with the entertainment and theatre profession.
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