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Asleep in the Sarcophagus in Christ Church, Spitalfields

A work made of gelatin silver print.

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  • A work made of gelatin silver print.

Date:

1940

Artist:

Bill Brandt
English, 1904 - 1983

About this artwork

This startling image of a man sleeping in a coffin was taken by Bill Brandt during the Blitz, a German bombing campaign against London during World War II. Brandt was a talented documentary photographer known for night photography, whose work appeared in British periodicals and his own books, such as A Night in London (1938). He was recruited by Britain’s Ministry of Information to document civilians sheltering from air raids. While many sought shelter in the subway tunnels of the London Underground, Brandt’s photograph attests to the use of even eerier subterranean spaces.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Photography and Media

Artist

Bill Brandt

Title

Asleep in the Sarcophagus in Christ Church, Spitalfields

Place

England (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1940

Medium

Gelatin silver print

Dimensions

Image/paper: 22.9 × 19.3 cm (9 1/16 × 7 5/8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Lawrence D. Hite

Reference Number

2014.1207

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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