Clothing: it’s great. It keeps you all warm and dapper and whatnot.

But sometimes, clothing’s not so great. Like when it’s on the body of a model. Who’s about to be photographed. By some British guy.

So let’s get that clothing out of the way, shall we...

And have a look at Bill Brandt: Shadow & Light, a new tableside compendium of black-and-white photos of less-than-clothed women (and some other stuff), available now from the good folks at MoMA.

So, Hermann Wilhelm Brandt. You can just call him “Bill.” Or “the guy who made all these abstract-y nude photos back in the ’30s.” But probably just “Bill.”

See, Bill was all about two things: traversing the British countryside to turn mundane activities into beautiful photo essays, and getting creative with the female figure in front of his camera. And he did it all in the most unconventional, dark-and-shadowy way possible. Sort of a Norman Rockwell meets Helmut Newton kinda guy.

Open it up, and you’ll see a couple stressed-out guys in bowler hats biting their nails during a horse race. Turn the page, and there’s a close visual study of what appears to be an unclothed lady-person. Turn again, and there’s... some more beautiful nudity. Just enlightening, conversation-starting stuff.

You’ve got strong opinions on bowler hats.