Untitled (Pub interior) c. 1930s

Bill Brandt made this gelatin silver print, Untitled (Pub interior), sometime in the middle of the 20th Century, and looking at it I can almost smell the beer. It’s a black and white image of a group of people standing at a bar, caught mid-conversation. It’s a candid shot, and I can imagine Brandt moving quietly through the pub, trying not to disturb the scene. The composition feels natural, almost accidental, but that’s probably part of its charm. It reminds me of some of the social realist painters, like Gustave Courbet, who also aimed to capture everyday life without idealizing it. What I find interesting is the way Brandt uses light and shadow to create a sense of depth and atmosphere. It’s almost theatrical. It's a bit like Hopper. It's a fleeting moment, captured forever.