Homes Fit for Heroes: Photographs by Bill Brandt 1939-43

Despite Bill Brandt’s fame and considerable influence on the development of modern photography, the photographs in this book are a little known body of work and have never been previously published. The work was carried out between 1939 and 1943 when Brandt worked on a commercial assignment for the Bournville Village Trust. The photographs illustrate living conditions and form distinct picture stories where direct contrasts are made between slum and municipal housing. Many books and articles published around this time sought to address the issue of the living conditions of the working classes and photography played a key role.2004 sees the celebration of Brandt’s centenary year. Major collections of his prints are held by MoMA and Rochester’s International Museum of Photography.