PETER BEARD | 'Hog Ranch Front Lawn, Night Feeder (2:00 am) with Maureen Gallagher & Mbuno, Feb. 1987'

a unique object, mural-sized, signed, titled, dated, annotated 'Peter Beard, Hog Ranch, Box 47616, Nairobi, Kenya,' and inscribed with a passage from Joseph Conrad by the photographer in black, white, and red inks on the image, and with drawings of insects and animals, blood, and collage elements: a box of matches; a leaf; a photo strip of 3 images of a baby mountain gorilla; half-tone reproductions of a red sweater, Peter Beard photographs of animals, and a self-portrait with a crocodile annotated 'I'll write whenever I can' by the photographer in ink, framed, 1987, printed and assembled in the 1990s  

Sotheby's New York, 15 October 2007, Sale 8349, Lot 40

Peter Beard: Fifty Years of Portraits (Santa Fe, 1999), p. 94Nejma Beard and David Fahey, eds. Peter Beard (Taschen, 2008), unpaginated

Photofile, Peter Beard (New York, 2008), pl. 31

While this impressive, mural-sized photograph has not been examined out of its frame, it appears to be in generally excellent condition. As is typical of the photographer's working process, there are a few faint surface scratches, surface disruptions, and scattered deposits of paint and ink overall. There is a subtle undulation to the print overall. The quotation from Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' reads as follows: '"The danger, if any, I expounded, was from our proximity to a great human passion let loose."
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present image, featuring the statuesque model Maureen Gallagher, was shot by Peter Beard at Hog Ranch in 1987. Since the 1960s, Hog Ranch has been the center and home base for much of Beard’s life and his work in Kenya.  Giraffes and wart hogs, amongst other animals, wander freely at all times of the day and night, and meandering giraffes are often found outside the tents at night.For Beard, subject matter, rather than mastery of exposure or printing, is of primary importance, and he is the first to admit that technology is not his forte.  The present masterpiece is evidence of his focus on subject and timing rather than equipment; Beard took this iconic image with a disposable camera.  In the brief flash of the camera, Gallagher appears almost as if carved from marble, still and illuminated in the dark night. His major domo and tracker Mbuno stands in the shadows of the background to the left of the shot.

Peter Beard uses his photographs as a canvas to which he applies various mediums in order to create a narrative, always highlighting his concern for wildlife and environmental conservation. The present large-format work, with blood, extensive embellishment, handwritten quotes in various inks, drawings of animals and other collaged elements, creates an artwork with its own unique composition.