A rare and apparently unpublished outtake photograph from the March, 1966 Beatles “Butcher Cover” photo session by Robert Whitaker.

Explaining this most unusual photo session, Whitaker said “I did a photograph of the Beatles covered in raw meat, dolls and false teeth. Putting meat, dolls and false teeth with The Beatles is essentially part of the same thing, the breakdown of what is regarded as normal. The actual conception for what I still call “Somnambulant Adventure” was Moses coming down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments. He comes across people worshipping a golden calf. All over the world I’d watched people worshiping like idols, like gods, four Beatles. To me they were just stock standard normal people. But this emotion that fans poured on them made me wonder where Christianity was heading.”

This photograph was printed by the Capitol Records art department in the 1980’s, from Whitaker’s original negative.  At the time this and some other Beatles archival photos were being considered for use in upcoming reissues.

We acquired this directly from a former Capitol Records employee.   16″ x 20″, printed on Fujicolor Crystal Archive Paper.  In near mint condition, and stunning in person.  With Recordmecca’s written lifetime guarantee of authenticity.