Exhibition Review: Glamour of the Gods (National Portrait Gallery)

There is nothing that I like more than glamorous, well-dressed people and the prospect of an exhibition about them that is packed full of their stylish photographs at the National Portrait Gallery immediately excited my interest.

Rock Hudson, Lover Come Back

The so-called ‘golden era’ of Hollywood from the 1920s through to the end of the 1950s is covered by this exhibition which shows off some stunning photographs of Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo. Although the number of photographs on display is limited, they are a little small in their frames and the room a little too miniscule given the seeming popularity of the exhibition, it is difficult not to be captivated by the sensuality and sheer magnetism of many of these images. Humphrey Bogart, weather-beaten and wild-looking, his lined, sneering face cast in brilliant light against the dark and menacing shadows of his eyes; the intoxicating smoky sexuality of the gaze of Joan Crawford against the half-turned, almost innocent, smoothness of her arms shrouding her breasts and upper body. This half-sight of the viewer where the violence is barely disguised but never seen, where sexuality seeps into the viewer without its base physicality, this is perhaps the reason for the power of so many of these images.

Vivien Leigh, Gone With The Wind

The portraits that succeed best are better than mere pictoral records but reveal something seemingly hidden within the subject – be it the sad majesty of the pleading eyes of Dolores del Rio or the unsettlingly firm gaze of Vivien Leigh. As actors these people were all paid to perform, to fake for the camera, and it is perhaps with hindsight that these images hit home. Undoubtedly though the comic tears of Stan Laurel, or the anxious preppy look of Harold Lloyd are the images that somehow seem out-of-place in the exhibition. They also don’t seem to hit home to the title of the show, glamour of the gods and it is perhaps here that the show most falls down. There are too many images that are simply not glamorous, that don’t possess the magnetism of those described above and, looking through the exhibition catalogue it is a little disappointing to see the range of images that could have formed part of this exhibition – a weak Orson Welles publicity photograph, Ronald Reagan in American football clobber, James Stewart surrounded by film cans could all have been replaced with better shots of a smoking Greta Garbo or a shrouded Clara Bow. It is perhaps also telling that the images from the 1950s are significantly weaker that those from earlier periods. James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Marlon Brando are shown in images that lack the intensity and power of others in the exhibition and it is a shame that (with the exception of some wonderful shots of Ava Gardner) the catalogue too shows this weakness with dreadful shots of Charlton Heston and Elvis Presley.

While these are significant criticisms of the exhibition, there is no doubt that there is enough on display (and in the excellent catalogue that accompanies the show) to be worth an hour of someones time. Undoubtedly those seeking the glamour of a by-gone age will be left a little hungry at the offering, but those with an interest in the films of the period will find much to snack on.

Glamour of the Gods is on at the National Portrait Gallery until the 23rd of October.

The Dandy Club Manifesto

“What’s in a name?’’ asks the Immortal Bard and this question is nowhere more pertinent than in the case of the dandy, beau or gallant. At once recognisable, this figure is a complex interplay of elegant style, nonchalance and wit that almost belies definition. Each generation has produced its own dandies and it is the unique personal relation between the individual, their style and their times that makes these enigmatic figures so captivating to those around them. What follows is the manifesto of the Dandy Club.

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society”

First impressions count. Within twenty seconds of meeting someone they have made a lasting impression on you. Before they ever get the chance to produce their witty repartee you have marked their card. The true dandy is always conscious of what they are wearing and whether it is appropriate to the social situation.

1920s style

Perhaps the greatest of English dandies, Beau Brummell, would spend up to five hours dressing himself before stepping out into the public gaze. This fastidiousness with appearance is especially important in the modern world where casual sweaters, jeans or (shudder) tracksuit bottoms are the norm. The sight of a carefully and creatively dressed man inspires the none-too secret envy of those around him. This relationship between the dandy and his audience is vital.

“Style is the dress of thought”

It is not enough merely to be stylishly attired, it is important to be seen to be so. A dandy must have an audience for without one he is a mere popinjay. The dandy’s attire is not important, however, as a means of demonstrating the wealth or social status to those around him. Dandyism is rather a movement aimed at the overt representation of a superior type of taste and thought.

Max Beerbohm - Caricaturist, Writer and Dandy

The most remembered dandies are not just mere wits, producing the one-liners of their day; they are the arbiters of taste in almost all areas of society. Many of the foremost members of this august group have been highly cultured individuals, the men of letters, who have shaped wider social and cultural trends. The obvious example of men like Oscar Wilde is multiplied by Max Beerbohm, Noel Coward and many others. English dandyism in particular seems to revel in this association between the sharp intellect and the sharp suit. To have attended Oxford or Cambridge is a positive benefit and one of the key dividing lines between the well-dressed metrosexual and the dandy. As Wilde said, “the only way to atone for occasionally being a little over-dressed is to be absolutely over-educated.”

“One may become rich, but one is born elegant”

The third, and perhaps defining, element of dandyism is an elegant nonchalance that pervades all acts of the dandy. It is not enough to dress well and be witty if you appear to be trying to do so. The true dandy cultivates an air of sceptical reserve and polished nonchalance that pervades his very essence.

This element of the dandy combines with his ability to live through independent means to produce a man who is free of all of passions, moralities, ambitions and politics; these are all subsumed beneath his flawless self-mastery. The dandy is blasé, even cynical about the world around him and takes its seriousness as mere trivialities that interfere with his search for exquisite taste. As Barbey d’Aurevilly noted, “dandyism introduces antique calm among our modern agitations.”

Edward, Prince of Wales - The Dandy Prince

“Know first who you are and then adorn yourself appropriately”

What is most important for the dandy, however, is the unique pursuit of his own sense of style. “Every dandy dares, but he stops at the intersection between originality and eccentricity.” The Dandy Club offers a guide to that intersection.