John Deakin Archive

Collection Overview

The English photographer John Deakin died aged 60 in 1972. Most of his prints, torn and dog-eared, were salvaged from under his bed in Soho by Bruce Bernard, the photographic historian, who would become his champion.
After the War, Deakin enjoyed two periods of employment as a staff photographer on the British edition of Vogue. The first period, from 1947 to 1948, ended in dismissal when he lost several valuable bits of photographic equipment. His second period was from 1951 to 1954, and during those three years Deakin was at his most active. After being fired by Vogue for the second time, Deakin drifted from job to job and he enjoyed a retainer from The Observer until 1958.He spent long periods in Rome and in Paris during the 1950s, specialising in street photography. Deakin, nevertheless, continued to photograph many of the major figures in the Soho art scene during the 1950s and 1960s, including Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, Frank Auerbach and Eduardo Paolozzi. Though the two had a difficult personal relationship, Bacon held Deakin's work in high regard. After Deakin's death, Bacon described him as "the best portrait photographer since Nadar and Julia Margaret Cameron."[14] Because Bacon "famously preferred photographic reference over live models for his painting",[15] Deakin took many portraits on commission for Bacon, which the artist later used as source material for some of his most famous images.

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'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, March 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

premium — 'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, March 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, March 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318280

Lucian Freud, in his studio, Paddington, London, 1952-1953 (b/w photo)

Lucian Freud, in his studio, Paddington, London, 1952-1953 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315980

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318273

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon (b/w photo)

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317902

Lucian Freud, in his studio, Paddington, London, 1952-1953 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315975

George Dyer, Soho, London, UK, mid 1960's (b/w photo)

George Dyer, Soho, London, UK, mid 1960's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316599

Lucian Freud, in his studio, Paddington, London, 1952-1953 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315976

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon wearing polo neck and mac, London, early 1960's

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon wearing polo neck and mac, London, early 1960's

John Deakin

JDK5317912

Gaston Berlemont, portrait of proprietor of The French House pub, Soho, London, UK, 1950's, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

Gaston Berlemont, portrait of proprietor of The French House pub, Soho, London, UK, 1950's, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317090

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon wearing polo neck and mac, London, early 1960's (b/w photo)

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon wearing polo neck and mac, London, early 1960's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317914

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon standing on Old Compton Street, Soho, London late early 1950's

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon standing on Old Compton Street, Soho, London late early 1950's

John Deakin

JDK5317901

Frank Auerbach, portrait of artist Frank Auerbach wearing a corduroy jacket with cropped hair, Soho, London 1950's (b/w photo)

Frank Auerbach, portrait of artist Frank Auerbach wearing a corduroy jacket with cropped hair, Soho, London 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317254

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318266

Pegeen Vail Guggenheim, portrait of Pegeen Guggenheim, daughter of Peggy Guggenheim, wife of situationist painter Ralph Rumney, step-daughter of Max Ernst, in her home in Paris, France mid 1950's (b/w photo)

Pegeen Vail Guggenheim, portrait of Pegeen Guggenheim, daughter of Peggy Guggenheim, wife of situationist painter Ralph Rumney, step-daughter of Max Ernst, in her home in Paris, France mid 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317794

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318278

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon standing on Old Compton Street, Soho, London late early 1950's

John Deakin

JDK5317898

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318281

Michael Andrews, portrait of the artist Michael Andrews in his studio painting John Deakin, Soho, London, UK, c.1963 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316341

Portrait of the artist Frank Auerbach, London, early 1960's (b/w photo)

Portrait of the artist Frank Auerbach, London, early 1960's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5318046

Lucian Freud, in his studio, Paddington, London, 1952-1953 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315986

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318279

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318271

Soho woman, portrait of unknown woman wearing leopardskin fur coat, Soho doorway, London late 1950's (b/w photo)

Soho woman, portrait of unknown woman wearing leopardskin fur coat, Soho doorway, London late 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317777

Lucian Freud on Bed, c.1964 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315994

Peter Lacy, portrait of former WW2 fighter pilot, lover and model of Francis Bacon, Smithfirld meat market, London, UK, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

Peter Lacy, portrait of former WW2 fighter pilot, lover and model of Francis Bacon, Smithfirld meat market, London, UK, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316532

Camille Bombois in front of his pictures, 1951 (b/w photo)

Camille Bombois in front of his pictures, 1951 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316036

Henrietta Moraes, portrait of model and muse Henrietta Moraes in a bar, Soho London late 1950's (b/w photo)

Henrietta Moraes, portrait of model and muse Henrietta Moraes in a bar, Soho London late 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317572

Muriel Belcher, portrait of Muriel Belcher, Colony Room proprietor and model for Francis Bacon, smoking with a cigarette holder, Soho, London mid 1950's

Muriel Belcher, portrait of Muriel Belcher, Colony Room proprietor and model for Francis Bacon, smoking with a cigarette holder, Soho, London mid 1950's

John Deakin

JDK5320233

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318264

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon wearing polo neck and mac, London, early 1960's

John Deakin

JDK5317908

Lucian Freud on Bed, c.1964 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315992

Lucian Freud, c.1964 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316004

Michael Andrews, portrait of British artist, Soho, London, UK, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

Michael Andrews, portrait of British artist, Soho, London, UK, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316724

John Deakin

JDK5317787

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317903

Lucian Freud, in his studio, Paddington, London, 1952-1953 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315982

Lucian Freud on Bed, c.1964 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315998

Lucian Freud, Soho, 1960s (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316014

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318270

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318274

'Il Tempo' magazine stand, Rome, Italy, 1947 (b/w photo)

'Il Tempo' magazine stand, Rome, Italy, 1947 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5319125

Butchered meat hanging in a store, possibly taken for Francis Bacon, early 1960's

Butchered meat hanging in a store, possibly taken for Francis Bacon, early 1960's

John Deakin

JDK5319938

Butchered meat hanging in a store, possibly taken for Francis Bacon, early 1960's

John Deakin

JDK5319941

Ralph Rumney, portrait of artist and husband of Pegeen Guggenheim, daughter of Peggy Guggenheim, Soho, London, UK, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

Ralph Rumney, portrait of artist and husband of Pegeen Guggenheim, daughter of Peggy Guggenheim, Soho, London, UK, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316824

Janet Flanner, portrait of American writer and journalist who served as the Paris correspondent of The New Yorker magazine, Paris, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

Janet Flanner, portrait of American writer and journalist who served as the Paris correspondent of The New Yorker magazine, Paris, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316434

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon wearing polo neck and mac, London, early 1960's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317917

Lucian Freud, c.1964 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316008

Portrait of poet Dom Moraes in Soho pub, London, mid early 1950's

Portrait of poet Dom Moraes in Soho pub, London, mid early 1950's

John Deakin

JDK5317944

Luchino Visconti, c.1955 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316055

Gabriel Pomerand, portrait of French poet, artist and a co-founder of lettrism, Paris, France, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

Gabriel Pomerand, portrait of French poet, artist and a co-founder of lettrism, Paris, France, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316580

Portrait of artist and muse Isabel Rawsthorne, London, late early 1950's

Portrait of artist and muse Isabel Rawsthorne, London, late early 1950's

John Deakin

JDK5318298

Butcher in Soho - Slater & Cooke, Disney & Jones, portrait of a butcher in butchers shop called Slater & Cooke, Disney & Jones, Brewer Street Soho London, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

Butcher in Soho - Slater & Cooke, Disney & Jones, portrait of a butcher in butchers shop called Slater & Cooke, Disney & Jones, Brewer Street Soho London, mid 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317449

Lucian Freud, in his studio, Paddington, London, 1952-1953 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315983

Lucian Freud on Bed, c.1964 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5315990

Portrait of artist and muse Isabel Rawsthorne, London, late early 1950's

John Deakin

JDK5318296

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon wearing polo neck and mac, London, early 1960's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317910

Henrietta Moraes, portrait of model and muse Henrietta Moraes in a bar, Soho London late 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317564

Frank Auerbach, portrait of artist Frank Auerbach wearing a corduroy jacket with cropped hair, Soho, London 1950's (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317251

Michael Andrews, portrait of the artist Michael Andrews in his studio painting John Deakin, Soho, London, UK, c.1963 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316333

'The Last Supper', Wheelers Lunch, 1963 (b/w photo) (see also 5318260-83)

John Deakin

JDK5318272

Tennessee Williams, portrait of the playwright in Rome, Italy, 1947 (b/w photo)

Tennessee Williams, portrait of the playwright in Rome, Italy, 1947 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5316731

Butchered meat hanging in a store, possibly taken for Francis Bacon, early 1960's

John Deakin

JDK5319918

Waxworks in a storeroom, possibly taken for Francis Bacon, mid 1950's

Waxworks in a storeroom, possibly taken for Francis Bacon, mid 1950's

John Deakin

JDK5319948

Lysistrata at National Theatre, images from a production of classic Greek play Lysistrata directed by Milos Volonakis starring Joan Greenwood, London 1965

Lysistrata at National Theatre, images from a production of classic Greek play Lysistrata directed by Milos Volonakis starring Joan Greenwood, London 1965

John Deakin

JDK5320086

London Walls - Industrial, London, 1956 (b/w photo)

London Walls - Industrial, London, 1956 (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5320159

John Deakin

JDK5317796

Portrait of the artist Francis Bacon (b/w photo)

John Deakin

JDK5317905

Portrait of Francis Bacon in a Soho pub, London, late early 1950's

Portrait of Francis Bacon in a Soho pub, London, late early 1950's

John Deakin

JDK5317934

Field	Search term	Example
Asset title	title:	title:pony
Asset title and keywords	~	~pony
Asset description text	description:	description:london
Agency prefix	prfx: or $	prfx:lal or $LAL
Asset id	imageid: or #	imageid:250297 or imageid:[2500 TO 4000] or #1551
Agency name	coll:	coll:history
Medium	medium:	medium:oil
Century	century:	century:20th
Keywords	kw:	kw:dog
Artist name	artist: or ?	artist:monet or ?monet
Artist nationality	nat:	nat:French
Creator ID	creatorid:	creatorid:37
Location	loc: or @	loc:exeter or @exeter
Classification	class:	class:57 or #57. Use # for unclassified assets
Year	year:	year:1850 or year:[1700 TO 1800]

Collection Overview

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