beauty

Elizabeth Taylor is one of the last great Hollywood actresses still gracing us with outsized grandeur. From National Velvet to Giant, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof to Cleopatra, Taylor has captivated audiences with her majestic presence on screens big and small since she made her debut at age ten. But acting, of course, is just one reason for the awe she inspires. Her romance with Richard Burton is of legend—as is the 69.42-carat pear-shaped Burton-Taylor diamond the actor gave her for her 40th birthday. Taylor sold the gem for $5 million in 1979, but, with a vault that still boasts the 33.19-carat Krupp diamond, and the 50-carat La Peregrina Pearl, formerly owned by Mary I of England (both also gifts from Burton), it is hardly missed. But her largess is as considerable as her grandness. Ever since she lost her close friend Rock Hudson to AIDS, Taylor has been a tireless fundraiser and spokesperson for the disease. She was the first celebrity to speak openly about the issue, and her generosity continues today, ensuring that she will be as fondly remembered for her charitable heart as she will for those dazzling violet eyes. Indeed, who could forget her? Taylor's striking beauty, indelible eyebrows and epic charm have inspired numerous works of art, none more iconic than Warhol’s famous silkscreen print from 1963.