Reckless, uninhibited and brazen, photographer Peter Beard was, as The Washington Post put it, “as wild as the animals he photographed.” Beard produced some of the most beautiful images of wildlife ever captured on film.
Beard was born in 1938 in New York City. His great-grandfather was James J. Hill, founder of the Great Northern Railway. As a child, he spent his summers at his grandmother’s Tuxedo Park estate, where she gave him his first camera, a Voightländer. He used it to take pictures to accompany his diaries; Beard was a keen diarist throughout his life, amassing more than 100 volumes. At the age of 17, he took a life-changing trip to Africa with Quentin Keynes, Charles Darwin’s great-grandson, using his Voightländer to photograph wildlife.
After attending prestigious private schools such as Buckley and Pomfret, Beard entered Yale University in 1957 as a pre-med student. However, he soon turned his attention toward art, studying under architectural historian Vincent Scully, German artist Josef Albers and painter Richard Lindner. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in art history.
In the 1960s, Beard returned to Africa, where he met Out of Africa author Karen Blixen. Enamored by the continent’s natural beauty, he purchased Hog Ranch near Blixen’s coffee plantation in Kenya. While there, he received a special dispensation from President Uhuru Kenyatta to film, photograph and document the flora and wildlife at Tsavo National Park. This led to The End of the Game, published in 1965, which documented the demise of more than 35,000 starving elephants and 5,000 black rhinos.
Beard became renowned for his black-and-white and color photography, figurative photos and landscapes. He exhibited around the world, including at New York’s Blum Helman Gallery in 1975, the International Center of Photography in Manhattan in 1977, the Centre National de la Photographie in Paris in 1996 and Guild Hall in East Hampton in 2016.
Beard died in 2020 at the age of 82. His works remain in demand with collectors.
On 1stDibs, find original Peter Beard photography, mixed media work and prints.
"Peter Beard: Fifty Years Of Portraits" 1999 BEARD, Peter
By Peter Beard
Located in Bristol, CT
BEARD, Peter [205] pp. Arena Editions 1999 First Edition 7 1/4" x 8 1/4" w/ Acrylic 'Red Hand-Print' Inscribed: from Peter [Beard] 205 W 57th [NYC] thanks for all Feb 15, 20...
Paper, Acrylic
$525
H 5 in W 7 in D 0.75 in
Wallflower - 5"x7", Green, Pink, Black, White, Floral Abstract Painting
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
In this small and delicate painting, the combination of paint, pastel and paper collage, create a strong, abstracted composition. Pink and black pop from a vibrant background of inte...
Canvas, Acrylic, Color Pencil, Oil Pastel, Oil, Magazine Paper
$2,025Sale Price|25% Off
H 55.12 in W 39.38 in
Untittle, 140x100 cm, acrylic, canvas
By Elena Naushirvanova
Located in Yerevan, AM
Untittle, 140x100 cm, acrylic, canvas
Paper, Pastel, Acrylic
$6,800
H 60 in W 48 in D 2 in
Just Breathe, 48"x60" Floral Landscape / Seascape, Textile Art, Blue Green Beige
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
JUST BREATHE is an impressionistic style landscape painting combining intricate floral detail with intuitive abstract brush work. Delicate collage flowers hand cut from textile and p...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Textile, Canvas, Paper
$727Sale Price|25% Off
H 24.02 in W 18.9 in
Back side of the moon, 61x48cm, acrylic/ink/paper
By Anton Lebedev
Located in Yerevan, AM
The work is sold without a frame and mat
Paper, Ink, Acrylic
$4,000
H 16 in W 32 in D 1.75 in
Opening Night, 2 Paintings, 16"x16" Ea, Diptych, Pearls Dress Tux, Black & White
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
Opening Night - This complimentary pair of paintings emphasizes the combination of intricate detail and strong composition. Extensive detail is found in the pearls made of paper collage, building up delicate tone on tone textures. The blending of paint and pencil work creates an outcome both expressive and refined. The black and off-white contrast offers a sense of glamour and timeless elegance...
Canvas, Paper, Acrylic, Pencil
$2,800
H 12 in W 36 in D 1.75 in
All In Order, 36"x12" Abstract Painting, Textured, Grey, Beige, Christmas Gift
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
This contemporary abstract painting features a geometric pattern formed by delicate hand-cut collage motifs. Each paper motif is meticulously hand crafted, contributing to the subtle...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Laid Paper
$2,175
H 10 in W 8 in D 0.5 in
Dinner Party, Diptych, 3 Paintings, Still Life 8"x10" Each, White Plates
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
“People who love to eat are always the best people.” Julia Child This group of three still life painting puts the spotlight on the dinner plate, a big part of our everyday lives. Emp...
Canvas, Paper, Acrylic, Pencil, Color Pencil
$400
H 6 in W 12 in D 0.75 in
Notes And Things - 6"x12", Black, White, Pink Abstract Painting On Canvas
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
So little with so much to say. This expressive abstract painting invites the viewer to interpret an untold message. Emphasis is on simplified composition with the use of paint, paper...
Canvas, Pastel, Acrylic, Paper
$425
H 6 in W 8 in D 0.75 in
Pink Things - 8"x10", Pink And White, Minimal Abstract Painting
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
So little with so much to say. This pink and white abstract puts emphasis on simplified composition with the use of paint and paper collage. Heavy layers of paint build up a highly t...
Canvas, Paper, Acrylic
$625
H 8 in W 8 in D 2 in
Grey Gardens 1 - Abstract Painting, Textured, Minimal, Christmas Gift Idea
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
Small painting, big statement. This visually engaging abstract features heavy textures that draw the viewer in for a closer look. The neutral, grey palette with glimpses of black un...
Canvas, Acrylic, Laid Paper
$3,800
H 16 in W 32 in D 1.75 in
Opening Night, 16"x16" Each, Diptych, 2 Paintings, Black & White, Beige
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
OPENING NIGHT - This complimentary pair of paintings place emphasis on the blending of intricate detail and strong composition. Extensive detail is found in the pearls made of paper ...
Canvas, Paper, Acrylic, Pencil
$850
H 8 in W 6 in D 0.75 in
A Pale Blue Sun, 6"x8", Fragments Of Fortuny Series, Abstract Landscape Painting
By Andrea Stajan-Ferkul
Located in Mississauga, Ontario
This is the forth in a series of intimate paintings exploring colour combinations using fragments of Fortuny textiles. Through the use of paint, paper and fabric, the simplified comp...
Textile, Canvas, Paper, Acrylic