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Peter Beard
A stunning journey into the world of Peter Beard “This extravagant and magnificent book is a work of art in itself.”
- L’EXPRESS, Paris
Photographer, collector, diarist, and writer of books Peter Beard has fashioned his life into a work of art; the illustrated diaries he kept from a young age evolved into a serious career as an artist and earned him a central position in the international art world. He was painted by Francis Bacon , painted on by Salvador Dalí , and made diaries with Andy Warhol ; he toured with Truman Capote and the Rolling Stones , created books with Jacqueline Onassis and Mick Jagger - all of whom are brought to life, literally and figuratively, in his work. As a fashion photographer, he took Vogue stars like Veruschka to Africa and brought new ones - most notably Iman - back to the U.S. with him.
His love affair with natural history and wildlife, which informs most of his work, began when he was a teenager. He had read the books of Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) and after spending time in Kenya and befriending the author, bought a piece of land near hers. It was the early 1960s and the big game hunters led safaris, with all the colonial elements Beard had read about in Out of Africa characterizing the open life and landscape, but the times were changing. Beard witnessed the dawn of Kenya’s population explosion, which challenged finite resources and stressed animal populations - including the starving elephants of Tsavo, dying by the tens of thousands in a wasteland of eaten trees. So he documented what he saw - with diaries, photographs, and collages. He went against the wind in publishing unique and sometimes shocking books of these works. The corpses were laid bare; the facts were carefully written down, sometimes in type, often by hand, occasionally with blood.
Peter Beard’s most important collages are included, along with hundreds of smaller-scale works and diaries, magnified to show every detail - from Beard’s meticulous handwriting and old-masters-inspired drawings to stones and bones and bits of animals pasted to the page.
Special
Originally published in 2006 in TASCHEN’s Collector’s Edition series, the book sold out instantly upon publication and earned accolades from publications the world over. The book you couldn’t get your hands on is finally available in bookstores everywhere, and at a nice price! Text in English, French, and Spanish
- L’EXPRESS, Paris
Photographer, collector, diarist, and writer of books Peter Beard has fashioned his life into a work of art; the illustrated diaries he kept from a young age evolved into a serious career as an artist and earned him a central position in the international art world. He was painted by Francis Bacon , painted on by Salvador Dalí , and made diaries with Andy Warhol ; he toured with Truman Capote and the Rolling Stones , created books with Jacqueline Onassis and Mick Jagger - all of whom are brought to life, literally and figuratively, in his work. As a fashion photographer, he took Vogue stars like Veruschka to Africa and brought new ones - most notably Iman - back to the U.S. with him.
His love affair with natural history and wildlife, which informs most of his work, began when he was a teenager. He had read the books of Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) and after spending time in Kenya and befriending the author, bought a piece of land near hers. It was the early 1960s and the big game hunters led safaris, with all the colonial elements Beard had read about in Out of Africa characterizing the open life and landscape, but the times were changing. Beard witnessed the dawn of Kenya’s population explosion, which challenged finite resources and stressed animal populations - including the starving elephants of Tsavo, dying by the tens of thousands in a wasteland of eaten trees. So he documented what he saw - with diaries, photographs, and collages. He went against the wind in publishing unique and sometimes shocking books of these works. The corpses were laid bare; the facts were carefully written down, sometimes in type, often by hand, occasionally with blood.
Peter Beard’s most important collages are included, along with hundreds of smaller-scale works and diaries, magnified to show every detail - from Beard’s meticulous handwriting and old-masters-inspired drawings to stones and bones and bits of animals pasted to the page.
Special
Originally published in 2006 in TASCHEN’s Collector’s Edition series, the book sold out instantly upon publication and earned accolades from publications the world over. The book you couldn’t get your hands on is finally available in bookstores everywhere, and at a nice price! Text in English, French, and Spanish
784 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 7, 2012
My most prized posession. It is exquisite.
December 10, 2013
Indescribably gorgeous. An instant all-time favorite. I hesitate to pick it up, knowing I'll be lost inside it for hours I can't spare.
January 15, 2020
Excepcional, puedes pasar meses disfrutàndolo, y cada vez que lo abres vuelves a descubrir nuevos detalles, un mundo que deja de existir.
July 5, 2018
o what a joy
September 11, 2022
That bloody font, No idea who picked it made it hard to read.
Most pictures, it felt like those American psychopaths who use newspaper Pieces to send a message
Most pictures, it felt like those American psychopaths who use newspaper Pieces to send a message
October 12, 2010
Peter Beard is always a treat! Loved this set of books.
March 4, 2014
A must read
December 26, 2020
great book for everybody who likes photo, diaries and africa. message is very strong. be carreful
August 30, 2025
Jaw-dropping artbook. Genuinely proud that I own this and get to show it to people and pore over it whenever
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews