Beatles images on show for first time in Scotland

A rare collection of photographs of the Beatles, discovered in University of Dundee archives, is currently on display in the University's Queen Mother Building. It is the first time the Michael Peto collection of images has been shown in Scotland.

Shot in 1965, the images show the Beatles during the filming of Help! - in the studio, at home, joking together and relaxing between takes. The photographs are highly personal and catch the band in a natural and relaxed way. They're especially unusual as the band were growing ever more aware of their fame and most other photographs from this stage in their career are posed.

Michael Peto started work as a photojournalist for The Observer in 1949. Much of his work reflects his subsequent travels throughout Europe, the Middle and Far East, and India. He was awarded a bronze medal by the International Organisation of Journalists at Interpress-Foto at their 1960 meeting held in Berlin and was awarded a further bronze medal at the Budapest International Exposition of Photographic Art in 1970. Major exhibitions were held of his work in the 1960s - this is the first modern exhibition.

He died on Christmas Day, 1970, at the age of 62, leaving the 500 images along with more than 120,000 others, to the University of Dundee. They were then archived and lay forgotten for years until being discovered in 2004. The vast collection contains portraits of a number of familiar faces from the world of politics, art and entertainment including Louis Armstrong, Samuel Beckett and Harold Wilson.

The other major aspect of his work involved the arts in the 1950s and 1960s and the London Ballet scene around the time of the arrival of Rudolf Nureyev. These images capture the extraordinary partnership he forged with Margot Fonteyn in a series of intimate and beautiful portraits of their rehearsals and performances.

This first Michael Peto exhibition at the University focuses on the Beatles images captured by the brilliant photographer.

The exhibition takes place in the Street Gallery of the Queen Mother Building until the 11th July and is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. The exhibition is part of the 40th Birthday celebrations for the University and will also run during the Reunite in Dundee, Homecoming Weekend 2007 (16th and 17th June) as well as during Graduation (20th to the 22nd June) and the inaugural Dundee Literary Festival (21st and 22nd June).

"Michael Peto's photographs of The Beatles give us a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at a band which was at the height of its power and fame," said Patricia Whatley, University archivist.

"The pictures and this exhibition give us the opportunity to raise awareness of Michael Peto's significant contribution to photojournalism."