Gallery | Tate Images

Vanessa Bell (1879 - 1961) was an English modernist painter, interior designer, sister to Virginia Wolf, and a leading member of the Bloomsbury Group.

Bell was, as can be seen by these images, an avid photographer, taking snapshots of her family and friends (including Duncan Grant, Lytton Strachey, George Mallory, Leonard and Virginia Woolf and Roger Fry) from 1900 until the late 1940s, providing a unique visual record of the everyday life at their country residence of Charleston Farmhouse.

Vanessa Bell's daughter, Angelica Garnett (1918-2012), generously donated these photographs, along with their copyright to Tate in 1981, 1988 and 1992 for the benefit of both Tate and the Charleston Farmhouse Trust.

Please contact Tate Images for more information on usage.

M01173 © Tate Images | Photograph of Duncan Grant at Brandon Camp by Vanessa Bell

Photograph of Duncan Grant at Brandon Camp by Vanessa Bell

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M01173

M01136 © Tate Images | Leonard Woolf and Virginia Stephen (Woolf), 1912, at the time of their engagement.

Leonard Woolf and Virginia Stephen (Woolf), 1912, at the time of their engagement.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M01136

Vanessa Bell

unknown

M01133

M01132 © Tate Images | Photograph of Quentin Bell, Virginia and Leonard Woolf

Photograph of Quentin Bell, Virginia and Leonard Woolf

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M01132

M00966 © Tate Images | Photograph of JTS kodaking Dr Conan Doyle.

Photograph of JTS kodaking Dr Conan Doyle.

Vanesse Bell
1861-1961

M00966

M00940 © Tate Images | Portrait photograph of David Bomberg painting c.1912-1914

Portrait photograph of David Bomberg painting c.1912-1914

Unknown

M00940

M00899 © Tate Images | Vanessa Bell wiht her sons Julian and Quentin in the walled garden of their home, Charleston.

Vanessa Bell wiht her sons Julian and Quentin in the walled garden of their home, Charleston.

unknown

M00899

M00897 © Tate Images | Maynard Keynes in the garden of Charleston farmhouse

Maynard Keynes in the garden of Charleston farmhouse

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00897

M00851 © Tate Images | Photograph of Lytton Strachey in the garden of Vanessa Bell's home, Charleston farmhouse.

Photograph of Lytton Strachey in the garden of Vanessa Bell's home, Charleston farmhouse.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00851

M00850 © Tate Images | Photograph of Charleston farmhouse in Firle, Sussex, home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.

Photograph of Charleston farmhouse in Firle, Sussex, home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00850

M00849 © Tate Images | Photograph of Duncan Grant outside a house at Cassis in the South of France.

Photograph of Duncan Grant outside a house at Cassis in the South of France.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00849

M00805 © Tate Images | Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant at Asheham

Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant at Asheham

unknown

M00805

M00748 © Tate Images | Group photo in the garden of Vanessa Bell's house in Charleston.

Group photo in the garden of Vanessa Bell's house in Charleston.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00748

M00742 © Tate Images | Photograph of Duncan Grant and Maynard Keynes at Asheham House in Sussex,the home of Leonard and Virginia Woolf.

Photograph of Duncan Grant and Maynard Keynes at Asheham House in Sussex,the home of Leonard and Virginia Woolf.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00742

M00668 © Tate Images | Vanessa Bell seated outside the drawing room at Charleston.

Vanessa Bell seated outside the drawing room at Charleston.

Unknown

M00668

M00636 © Tate Images | Two naked females standing in a studio

Two naked females standing in a studio

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00636

M00624 © Tate Images | Photograph of Quentin Bell and Janie Bussy taken by Vanessa Bell

Photograph of Quentin Bell and Janie Bussy taken by Vanessa Bell

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00624

M00623 © Tate Images | Photograph of Duncan Grant as a Spanish Dancer taken by Vanessa Bell

Photograph of Duncan Grant as a Spanish Dancer taken by Vanessa Bell

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00623

George Mallory

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00614

M00611 © Tate Images | Virginia Woolf and Gerald Duckworth

Virginia Woolf and Gerald Duckworth

Unknown

M00611

M00610 © Tate Images | Laura Stephen, stepsister to Vanessa Bell

Laura Stephen, stepsister to Vanessa Bell

Unknown

M00610

M00600 © Tate Images | Molly McCarthy posing naked inside a studio at 46 Gordon Square, Bloomsbury, London.

Molly McCarthy posing naked inside a studio at 46 Gordon Square, Bloomsbury, London.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00600

M00589 © Tate Images | Photograph of Clive Bell and his mistress Mary Hutchison (seated), with Duncan Grant and E. M. Forster in the walled garden at Charleston, Firle in Sussex.

Photograph of Clive Bell and his mistress Mary Hutchison (seated), with Duncan Grant and E. M. Forster in the walled garden at Charleston, Firle in Sussex.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00589

M00506 © Tate Images | Bloomsbury Group: Leonard and Virginia Woolf, Adrain Stephen, Julian Bell, Raymond Mortimer, Angelica Bell, Jack Hutchinson, Vanessa Bell ... 8 Fitzroy Street, January, 1930 Alice in Wonderland Fancy Dress Party.

Bloomsbury Group: Leonard and Virginia Woolf, Adrain Stephen, Julian Bell, Raymond Mortimer, Angelica Bell, Jack Hutchinson, Vanessa Bell ... 8 Fitzroy Street, January, 1930 Alice in Wonderland Fancy Dress Party.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00506

M00408 © Tate Images | Lettice Ramsay, Charleston

Lettice Ramsay, Charleston

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00408

M00407 © Tate Images | Virginia Woolf and Julian Bell, Blean, near Canterbury

Virginia Woolf and Julian Bell, Blean, near Canterbury

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00407

M00406 © Tate Images | Quentin Bell, Duncan Grant, Auberon Duckworth, Julian Bell, Clive Bell at Charleston

Quentin Bell, Duncan Grant, Auberon Duckworth, Julian Bell, Clive Bell at Charleston

Unknown

M00406

M00405 © Tate Images | Julian Bell, Vanessa Bell at Asheham

Julian Bell, Vanessa Bell at Asheham

Unknown

M00405

M00377 © Tate Images | Clive and Angelica Bell at Cassis, in the South of France

Clive and Angelica Bell at Cassis, in the South of France

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00377

Duncan Grant

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00376

M00366 © Tate Images | Virginia Woolf's Garden Party: Angus Davidson, Duncan Grant, Julian Bell, Leonard & Virgina Woolf, Margaret Duckworth, Clive & Vanessa Bell. Pinska (dog). Charleston

Virginia Woolf's Garden Party: Angus Davidson, Duncan Grant, Julian Bell, Leonard & Virgina Woolf, Margaret Duckworth, Clive & Vanessa Bell. Pinska (dog). Charleston

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00366

M00352 © Tate Images | Julian and Angelica Bell at Charleston.

Julian and Angelica Bell at Charleston.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00352

M00351 © Tate Images | Duncan Grant, Angelica Bell and Roger Fry at Charleston.

Duncan Grant, Angelica Bell and Roger Fry at Charleston.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00351

M00350 © Tate Images | Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell at La Bergere, Cassis, France.

Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell at La Bergere, Cassis, France.

Unknown

M00350

M00349 © Tate Images | Virginia Woolf, Angelica Bell, Leonard Woolf and Judith Bagenal at La Bergere, Cassis.

Virginia Woolf, Angelica Bell, Leonard Woolf and Judith Bagenal at La Bergere, Cassis.

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00349

M00316 © Tate Images | Mary Hutchinson, West Wittering, Sussex

Mary Hutchinson, West Wittering, Sussex

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00316

M00315 © Tate Images | Adeline Virginia Woolf [nee Stephen] wearing a white dress with a hat, standing in front of foliage at Fritham, Hampshire, England

Adeline Virginia Woolf [nee Stephen] wearing a white dress with a hat, standing in front of foliage at Fritham, Hampshire, England

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00315

M00314 © Tate Images | Vanessa Bell and Molly McCarthy, Gordon Square, London

Vanessa Bell and Molly McCarthy, Gordon Square, London

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00314

M00204 © Tate Images | Photograph of psychoanalyst James Strachey (left) and cousin Duncan Grant in a field, Bosham, West Sussex

Photograph of psychoanalyst James Strachey (left) and cousin Duncan Grant in a field, Bosham, West Sussex

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00204

M00203 © Tate Images | Photograph of a smiling Roger Fry, with friend Clive Bell in the background, at his home 'Durbins', Guildford, Surrey

Photograph of a smiling Roger Fry, with friend Clive Bell in the background, at his home 'Durbins', Guildford, Surrey

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00203

M00202 © Tate Images | Photograph of (left to right): Julian Bell, Janie Bussy, Angelica and Quentin Bell performing a play written by the latter, about Damon and Phyllis, in the walled garden of their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Photograph of (left to right): Julian Bell, Janie Bussy, Angelica and Quentin Bell performing a play written by the latter, about Damon and Phyllis, in the walled garden of their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00202

M00201 © Tate Images | Photograph of Julian (left) and Quentin Bell with their half sister Angelica Bell, at a table outside with an open book

Photograph of Julian (left) and Quentin Bell with their half sister Angelica Bell, at a table outside with an open book

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00201

M00200 © Tate Images | Photograph of Vanessa Stephen (Bell) painting 'Portrait of Lady Robert Cecil, 1905' from life

Photograph of Vanessa Stephen (Bell) painting 'Portrait of Lady Robert Cecil, 1905' from life

Unknown photographer

M00200

M00199 © Tate Images | Photograph of Julian Bell, wearing a safari suit before departing for China, standing outside the entrance of his home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Photograph of Julian Bell, wearing a safari suit before departing for China, standing outside the entrance of his home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00199

M00198 © Tate Images | Photograph of Vanessa Bell holding the hands of her daughter, Angelica Bell, outside on the doorstep of their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Photograph of Vanessa Bell holding the hands of her daughter, Angelica Bell, outside on the doorstep of their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Unknown photographer

M00198

M00197 © Tate Images | Photograph of Quentin (left) and Julian Bell sitting on the ground with their half sister, Angelica Bell, outside at their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Photograph of Quentin (left) and Julian Bell sitting on the ground with their half sister, Angelica Bell, outside at their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00197

M00170 © Tate Images | Photograph of Vanessa Bell sitting on a chair outside her studio

Photograph of Vanessa Bell sitting on a chair outside her studio

Unknown photographer

M00170

M00154 © Tate Images | Photograph of Angelica Bell posing, in costume, as the actress Ellen Terry from Virginia Woolf's play 'Freshwater'

Photograph of Angelica Bell posing, in costume, as the actress Ellen Terry from Virginia Woolf's play 'Freshwater'

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00154

M00153 © Tate Images | Photograph of Duncan Grant with his baby daughter, Angelica Bell, sitting on his lap on the doorstep of their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Photograph of Duncan Grant with his baby daughter, Angelica Bell, sitting on his lap on the doorstep of their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00153

M00152 © Tate Images | Photograph of Quentin (left) and Julian carrying their half sister, Angelica Bell, outside their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Photograph of Quentin (left) and Julian carrying their half sister, Angelica Bell, outside their home 'Charleston', East Sussex

Vanessa Bell
1879-1961

M00152