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This witty, surreal image is the earliest of the many self-portraits created to send as Christmas cards by Angus McBean almost annually for over 50 years. McBean was born in Newbridge, Gwent. He worked as a theatrical mask maker and set designer before turning to photography. McBean’s glamorous and inventive approach to portraiture soon made him popular with his numerous celebrity sitters. In 1942, McBean was arrested for homosexuality, then a criminal offence, and sentenced to hard labour. After his release in 1944, he eventually resumed his career with great success. His portraits of Audrey Hepburn and The Beatles, among others, are now iconic images.