CECIL BEATON / CONDÉ NAST ARCHIVENOVEMBER 2019 VANITY FAIR ON ARTA British Boldini or Boutet de Monvel, Sir Oswald Birley was arguably the pre-eminent society portrait painter of the irst
half of the 2oth century. A former First World War intelligence ocer, he was a man of style as well as talent, who painted
plutocracy, nobility and royalty galore. Among his many sitters were George V, George VI, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth
the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Winston Churchill, Eisenhower and Gandhi. He transmitted his fondness for
the iner things in life to his son Mark Birley, founder of the historically signicant nightclub, Annabel’s, and uncrowned
King of Mayfair. Some of the best of Sir Oswald’s work is to be seen on the walls of 5 Hertford Street, the Mayfair members
club founded by his grandson Robin Birley, who opened a dining club named Oswald’s in honour of his grandfather. N.F.Oswald Birley paints
his wife, Rhoda Vava
Mary Lecky Pike.
By Cecil Beaton, 1935VANITY FAIR ON ART 2019Private View
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