Arcana:

(BEARD, PETER). Beard, Peter & Owen Edwards. Nejma Beard & David Fahey, Editors. Koln, GERMANY: Benedikt Taschen Verlag, 2006. First Edition Thus. Elephant Folio. 3/4 Leather over Boards, Boxed. Photography Monograph. As New/No Jacket - As Issued. 616pp, profusely illustrated in color and b&w. Text in English, German and French. Art Direction and Design by Ruth Ansel. One of the most lavish books published to date on the work of a single photographer, Benedikt Taschen's sumptuous, already out of print 2006 monograph on Peter Beard rivals Helmut Newton's "Sumo" in both scale and grandeur. "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 Dali, 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. Spilling out over the pages of this massive tome, Peter Beard's collages are reproduced as a group for the first time at the size they have always meant to be seen, some as foldouts. Hundreds of smaller-scale works and diaries fill the remaining spreads - magnified to show every detail, from Beard's meticulous handwriting and old-master-inspired drawings to stones and bones and bits of animals pasted to the page. All color illustrations are color-separated and reproduced in Pan4C, the finest reproduction technique available today, which provides unequaled intensity and color range". This elephant folio sized book is bound in half leather-over-boards, housed in a clamshell box, and is accompanied by a wooden viewing stand that is reminiscent of an African headrest. Its companion volume: "PB2" contains an image index with captions for all the pictures reproduced in the main book, personal photos and early work of the artist, an interview with the artist by Steven M. L. Aronson, a facsimile reprint of Beard's 1993 handwritten essay from the sold-out first issue of "Blind Spot" magazine, an extensive bibliography, and an exhibition history. A brand new, most handsome example of a Taschen "Sample" copy meant for promotional display at the time of publication that was issued WITHOUT the sheet containing Peter Beard's signature along with the edition's number, and is rubber stamped "Sample" in black ink on the title page. Other than lacking the signature and numbering, it is identical to an editioned copy in every way and is still housed in the publisher's original printed shipping carton, as issued. PLEASE NOTE: This "Sample" copy is NOT SIGNED by Peter Beard! 3-8228-2606-5 Inventory Number: 026339