Nivea now in tubs blue composition - naked model on bath edge rear view with variety contact sheet images and signed by Michael Joseph

In the 1980s, Nivea introduced a new packaging format, switching from tubes to tubs, with the tagline “Nivea Now in Tubs.” My father was commissioned to shoot the campaign, featuring a model relaxing in a bathtub. Interestingly, the choice to photograph her from behind—reminiscent of Le Violon d’Ingres—was less poetic and more practical: the model, flown in from Paris, had knobbly knees, and rear-view shots cost £700 instead of £1,100.

Finding the original image somewhat solitary, my father encircled it with smaller sepia-toned contact sheet extracts. Inspired by this, I recreated the concept in blue. At the center is a reprint of one of his darkroom creations—one of my personal favorites—surrounded by carefully curated contact sheet images, forming an intriguing visual ensemble.

This unique, handcrafted composition offers flexibility for framing; I’ve left it unmounted so your framer can crop it to your specifications. Shipped securely rolled in a Colissimo tube, it arrives ready for you to flatten and display. The print is signed by the photographer, with a small contact sheet image beneath the signature on the back.