Audrey Hepburn, Portraits of an Icon review: catnip for the mid-century camera

We’re all familiar with Norma Jeane Mortenson’s transformation into Marilyn Monroe, the “blonde bombshell”. Her contemporary, Audrey Hepburn, born in 1929, also acquired verbal tags but hers were “gamine” and “waif-like”. This fresh, chronological exhibition of 150 images, many loaned from her sons, shows that Hepburn too manufactured and controlled her look, from sweet ballet pupil to icon of svelte.

Half-Dutch, she was schooled in England then spent the war in Arnhem. Returning in 1948 to continue ballet, she moved into revues, where society photographer Antony Beauchamp spotted her for an advertising campaign that got her into Vogue. Her distinctively angled face was camera catnip; her career developed fast.

After 30 films, and one Oscar — for Roman Holiday — she retired at just 41 but had a late career as an ambassador for Unicef.

Everyone photographed her: from Bert Hardy’s coy, bland Fifties shots to Irving Penn’s formative black-jumper one, to Cecil Beaton, Yousuf Karsh, Philippe Halsman; and magical pictures, at 61, by Steven Meisel for Vanity Fair.

Yet in all those she rarely showed her perfect teeth. Her photo look was a closed-lip smile and a doe glance. Princess Diana worked it but Hepburn nailed it. But see her in 1961, driving with first husband Mel Ferrer, leaving the camera behind, and she’s grinning broadly.

Until October 18 (020 7306 0055, npg.org.uk)

Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout