Contemporary New York City-based artist Mark Beard has long demonstrated command in a variety of mediums — he works in oil paint, bronze, ceramics and more. Beard is known mainly for his portraits and figurative paintings, but he is prolific in figurative drawing and nude photography as well.
Beard was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1986, he began working as a set designer, and for the next decade, he created more than 20 sets in New York City, London, Frankfurt, Vienna and Cologne. As a painter and printmaker, Beard didn’t wish to confine himself to a rigid style and instead sought to explore Impressionism, Art Nouveau and other movements in a range of mediums. In order to freely move from one style to the next, Beard created several different personas, assigning a specific biography to each one.
Beard's most prominent artistic alter ego is Bruce Sargeant, whom the artist has positioned in exhibitions as an early 20th-century painter. Beard's work as Sargeant is a detailed study of the male physique. The paintings often feature sculpted athletic men engaged in physical activities like wrestling and rowing. The work is steeped in homoeroticism, and the artist’s name itself is a reference to painter John Singer Sargent — while he’s best known for his Edwardian-era portraits, John Singer Sargent also created murals and drawings of male nudes that were similarly reflective of a homoerotic sensibility.
Beard is also an accomplished landscape painter. His great-grandfather, George Beard, was a regional painter and photographer of the Rocky Mountains. Mark spent summers at his grandfather's 19th-century log cabin retreat as a child. These formative experiences are reflected in his own stunning landscape paintings.
Beard's artwork is held in many high-profile museum collections, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Today, Beard resides in the Manhattan loft that he purchased in 1994 with his partner, James Manfred. It serves as both his home and his studio. The space is filled with his oil paintings, drawings and sculptures.
On 1stDibs, find Mark Beard paintings, drawings, photography and more.
Self Portrait
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and numbered (4/6) in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is o...
Photogravure
Red Drape
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed and inscribed (AP 1/3) in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is offered by Cl...
Photogravure
John Kelly (I'm Lost to the World)
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
This unique hand-painted photograph by Mark Beard is offered by CLAMP in New York City.
Paint, Silver Gelatin
![[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Man in Suspenders Amidst the Cattails](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/mark-beard-photography-bruce-sargeant-1898-1938-man-in-suspenders-amidst-the-cattails-for-sale/a_9323/a_50422621569347500883/Beard_Sargeant_Man_in_Suspenders_Amidst_the_Cattails_1stdibs_master.jpg?width=240)
[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Man in Suspenders Amidst the Cattails
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Oil on canvas Signed in red, u.l. $6500.00 + $300.00 framing This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. “Bruce Sargeant is a mythic figure in the modern art mo...
Canvas, Oil
Robert Mapplethorpe
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and numbered in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is offered by CLAMP, located in New York City. Mark Beard writes: “I asked Robert Mapplethorpe to take me to the ‘Mine Shaft,’ a famous S&M club. He agreed but told me it was finished and boring. We made Christmas trees together for New York Magazine. He asked to make nude...
Photogravure
$3,414
H 14.57 in W 9.85 in D 0.4 in
Marilyn Monroe . Marilyn Monroe in chinchilla coat
By Bert Stern
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Bert stern Marilyn Monroe in chinchilla coat Mythical photo of the last seance (1962) ink jet print by bert stern 2010 signed on both sides certificat...
Photographic Paper
$6,358
H 32.68 in W 23.63 in
Divine Nude No.2 by Ronald Martinez - Fine art photography, Renaissance, woman
Located in Paris, FR
Divine Nude No.2 is a limited-edition photograph by French contemporary artist Ronald Martinez. This photograph is sold unframed as a print only. It is available in 2 dimensions: *...
Photographic Paper, C Print
$5,063
H 23.63 in W 16.93 in
Divine Nude No.42 by Ronald Martinez - Fine art photography, Renaissance, woman
Located in Paris, FR
Divine Nude No.42 is a limited-edition photograph by French contemporary artist Ronald Martinez. This photograph is sold unframed as a print only. It is available in 2 dimensions: ...
Photographic Paper, C Print
$400
H 8 in W 10.48 in
Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo
Located in Middletown, NY
Yokohama, Japan: c 1890. Hand-tinted albumen print, 8 x 10 1/2 inches (203 x 266 mm), numbered B04 in negative, small spots of fixer on lower right corner, pencil inscription on ver...
Watercolor, Photographic Paper
$2,943
H 13.78 in W 9.85 in D 0.4 in
Marilyn Monroe . Marilyn Monroe pink angel . The last sitting
By Bert Stern
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Bert stern Marilyn Monroe pink angel Mythical photo of the last seance (1962) ink jet print by bert stern 2012 signed on both sides certificate signed by the artist in his lifetime ...
Photographic Paper
$1,950
H 14.5 in W 21.5 in
Green Bedroom #2 (4am), limited edition photograph, signed and numbered
By Richard Tuschman
Located in Sante Fe, NM
Green Bedroom #2 (4am), limited edition photograph, signed and numbered Hopper Meditations is a personal photographic response to the work of the Ameri...
Archival Pigment
$400
H 8.08 in W 10.52 in
Japan – Three dancing geisha apprentices – Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph
Located in Middletown, NY
Yokohama, Japan: c 1880. Hand-tinted albumen print, 8 1/8 x 10 1/2 inches (205 x 267 mm), numbered 1625 and captioned "Dancing" in negative at lower right; pencil inscription in Jap...
Watercolor, Photographic Paper
Japan – Samurai - Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph
Located in Middletown, NY
Yokohama, Japan: c 1890. Hand-tinted albumen print, 10 1/8 x 7 3/4 inches (258 x 198 mm), numbered B 1161 and captioned in negative at lower right; very light cockling, brightly col...
Watercolor, Photographic Paper
$3,520
H 13.78 in W 9.06 in D 0.4 in
Marilyn Monroe . Marilyn Monroe sexy back . The last sitting
By Bert Stern
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Bert stern Marilyn Monroe sexy back Mythical photo of the last session (1962) inkjet printing by bert stern 2011 signed on both sides certificate signed by the artist during his lif...
Photographic Paper
$20,000
H 44 in W 44 in
On the Sofa at the Real Dolls Factory, San Diego, 19 February 2015
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
On the Sofa at the Real Dolls Factory, San Diego, 19 February 2015 Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 44" x 44.5" Archival Pigment Print Edition Nº 1 of 9 Certificate of O...
Archival Pigment
$500
H 10.56 in W 8.04 in
Japan – Geisha Girl with Fan – Hand-colored albumen print
By Baron Raimund von Stillfried
Located in Middletown, NY
Yokohama, Japan: c 1885. Hand-tinted albumen print, 10 1/2 x 8 inches (268 x 204 mm), hand-numbered 1103 in negative. Unmounted; housed in an archival mat with clear mounting corner...
Watercolor, Photographic Paper
Liu Ye in his studio with muse, Beijing, 16 May 2007
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Liu Ye in his studio with muse, Beijing, 16 May 2007 X Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 44" x 44.5" Archival Pigment Print Edition Nº 1 of 9 Cert...
Archival Pigment
Self Portrait
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Self Portrait 2001 Signed and dated in pencil, recto Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper (Unique) 22 x 15 inches, sheet 9 x 6.5 inches, image This work is offered by ClampArt in...
Polaroid
John Kelly
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and numbered in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 11 x 7.5 inches, sheet size This artwork is offered by ClampArt, ...
Photogravure
Self Portrait at 45
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and inscribed (AP) in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is o...
Photogravure
Self Portrait
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and numbered (2/6) in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is o...
Photogravure
Marc (with Cigarette)
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and inscribed "Unique" in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork ...
Photogravure
Untitled (Man with Bouquet of Lilies)
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, dated, and inscribed "Unique AP" in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is of...
Photogravure
Untitled (Man Seated on Chair)
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, dated, and numbered (2/6) in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is offered b...
Photogravure
Sold
H 22 in W 15 in
Untitled 26 (Polaroid Transfer of Young Nude Male on Rives BFK) by Mark Beard
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Untitled 26 (Polaroid Transfer of Young Nude Male on Rives BFK) by Mark Beard 10 x 8 inch image size 22 x 15 inch paper size signed & dated lower right Unique Polaroid Transfer on Ri...
Archival Paper, Polaroid
Untitled (Male Nude Leaning on Chair)
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and inscribed in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is offere...
Photogravure
Dirk
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and inscribed in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is offere...
Photogravure
Untitled (Andy Warhol)
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, dated, and numbered in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard writes: “Andy Warhol was everywhere. At one of the similar yet different events at ‘Area Club...
Photogravure
Robert Mapplethorpe
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Polaroid transfer on Rives BFK paper Signed, titled, dated, and numbered in pencil, recto Also blindstamped, l.r. 22 x 15 inches, sheet 10 x 8 inches, image This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard writes: “I asked Robert Mapplethorpe to take me to the ‘Mine Shaft,’ a famous S&M club. He agreed but told me it was finished and boring. We made Christmas trees together for New York Magazine. He asked to make nude...
Photogravure