Biography: Bill Brandt

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Bill Brandt (born Hermann Wilhelm Brandt, 2 May 1904 – 20 December 1983), was a German-British photographer and photojournalist.

Although born in Germany, Brandt moved to England, where he became known for his high-contrast images of British society, his distorted nudes and landscapes, and is widely considered to be one of the most important British photographers of the 20th century. In 1933 Bill Brandt moved to London and began documenting all levels of British society. This kind of documentary was uncommon at that time.

Bill Brandt published two books showcasing this work, The English at Home (1936) and A Night in London (1938).

He was a regular contributor to magazines such as Lilliput, Picture Post, and Harper’s Bazaar. He documented the Underground bomb shelters of London during The Blitz in 1940, commissioned by the Ministry of Information. During World War II, Bill Brandt focused every kind of subject – as can be seen in his “Camera in London” (1948) but excelled in portraiture and landscape. To mark the arrival of peace in 1945 he began a celebrated series of nudes.