Ernest Bevin, signed photograph by Howard Coster
1942, signed by both Ernest Bevin and Howard Coster
Author
Publisher
Printing Details
This is a fine black and white photographic portrait of Labour MP Ernest Bevin by the noted photographer Howard Coster. Taken in 1942 when Bevin was serving as Minister of Labour and National Service in the wartime coalition government. The photograph is framed and glazed, and has been laid on card and then mounted. The frame measures 32 × 49cm, and the image is 23 × 30cm.
The photograph has been signed by Ernest Bevin in black ink (just over his lapel), and also by Howard Coster.
The image presents Ernest Bevin in a stark wartime mode, serious, thoughtful but determined. He shown in profile and lit from above. The only copy of this photograph I can locate is in the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Howard Coster (1885–1959) was a British photographer who became well-known for his striking portraits of men, and among his most well-known photographs are A A Milne, King George V, Eric Gill, and G K Chesterton.
Ernest Bevin was a prominent British trade union leader and politician who played a significant role in shaping 20th-century British history. Born in 1881 as the last child to an already large family, Bevin faced hardships from a young age, becoming orphaned by eight and leaving school at eleven. His career began in labour as a drayman, but he quickly rose through the ranks of the Dockers' Union, showcasing his skills as an organizer and negotiator. Bevin was instrumental in merging multiple trade unions to form the Transport and General Workers' Union, which became the largest union in Great Britain. During the Second World War he served as Minister of Labour in the wartime coalition cabinet and drafted the Bevin Boys programme. Post-war, he was instrumental in European policy, including the creation of NATO and West Germany, and was a key figure in managing the Berlin Blockade.
Condition
Both photograph and frame are in very good condition, with one small line of dust collected at the top of the mount (under the glass). The portrait is back in wood, and with a wire for hanging.
If you would like any further information or have any queries, please feel free to email at walterbudge@btinternet.com or geoff@coxandbudge.co.uk
Price
£250.00
