Brandt took this photograph for the picture story “Over the Sea to Skye,” published in Lilliput in November 1947. Uncharacteristically, he also wrote the text that accompanied the story’s eight images. The Isle of Skye, the northernmost large island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, is known for its dramatic mountain scenery and abundant wildlife. Brandt emphasized both by dramatically juxtaposing the foreground and background, a pictorial device that is prominent in his portraits and nudes.
Gallery label from Bill Brandt: Shadow and Light, March 6–August 12, 2013.