Snowdon. Snowdon Sittings, 1979-1983. Portraits by Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon (1930-2017).

Introduction by John Mortimer.  Harper and Row, 1983. First U.S. edition in gray cloth with protected dust jacket.  Ex-library with usual evidence including tape shadows on the cloth from tape used to affix former dust jacket protector, which has been replaced.  Dust jacket is fine with no spine label.  One signature a bit shaky, otherwise very good. Snowdon, whose first wife was Princess Margaret, was a highly successful portrait photographer. This book is a fine collection of his color and black-and-white portraits of notable people in the arts and public life, including Laurence Olivier, Yehudi Menuhin, Rudolf Nureyev, Erté, Meryl Streep, Sir John Betjeman, Ingrid Bergman, Alec Guiness, Sebastian Co, Margaret Thatcher, Prince Charles, Ralph Richardson, Paul Scofield, Frank Bruno, Auberon Waugh, Andres Segovia, J.B. Priestly, Dame Rebecca West, Angus McBean, Vladimir Horowitz, Ben Travers, Yves Saint Laurent, Judy Davis, Iman Haywood, Jeremy Irons, and many others. 144 pages. Summary:

Snowdon Sittings, 1979–1983 is a seminal collection of portraiture by Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon. Published in 1983 (Weidenfeld & Nicolson / Harper & Row), the book serves as a focused time capsule of the early 1980s, documenting the cultural, political, and artistic vanguard of the era.

Core Content and Subjects

The book features over 100 portraits, many of which were originally commissioned for high-profile publications like Vogue, Life, and The Sunday Times Magazine. The "sittings" take place primarily in Snowdon’s minimalist 10x14 studio, creating a sense of consistency and intimacy across the varied subjects. Notable portraits include:

• Literary & Artistic Icons: A famously "shattered" John Betjeman, David Hockney, and Francis Bacon.

• Political Figures: International leaders and British power players captured with Snowdon’s characteristic lack of artifice.

• Theatrical Royalty: Actors and directors from the peak of the 80s stage and screen scene.

Artistic Style

Snowdon’s approach in this volume is defined by revelatory simplicity. Unlike the grand, staged portraits of his predecessors, these sittings emphasize:

• Minimalist Backgrounds: Using his small studio to strip away distractions, forcing the viewer to engage directly with the subject’s face and posture.

• Technical Versatility: The collection shifts between crisp black-and-white and vibrant color photography.

• The "Psychological" Lens: Snowdon was known for a "theatrical" yet honest style, often catching his subjects in moments of exhaustion, contemplation, or unguarded character.

Key Information

• Introduction: Written by the celebrated playwright and author John Mortimer (creator of Rumpole of the Bailey), who provides anecdotal context on Snowdon's methods.

• Format: A 144-page hardcover, notable for its high-quality full-page and double-spread plates.

• Significance: It is often cited as the volume that solidified Snowdon's reputation as the "outstanding portrait photographer of his generation," moving his public image beyond his former royal marriage to Princess Margaret and highlighting his technical mastery.

Note: For collectors, the first edition is recognizable by its grey cloth binding and silver lettering on the spine.