Photographer: Michael Joseph
Date: 1965
Image : W: 500mm H : 760mm
Authentic darkroom test print for an advert for “John Courage” beer.
According to my father, Michael Joseph, this photograph of an enthusiastic elderly woman drinking beer was the first of his images to be featured on a billboard in the UK. He had just returned from the harrowing experience of photographing the Vietnam War. In an interview, he reflected on the contrast:
“1965. The ‘Courage Lady’ was my first poster— a 16-sheet. Roy Carruthers was the art director; he had just left Town to join Benton & Bowles advertising agency. The poster stayed up for a record time of over a year, and it really got the ball rolling for me. I was amused to be photographing little old ladies, especially after just coming back from Vietnam. People doubted whether I could handle advertising photography, but I thought, ‘If this is the way to make it, why not?’ I managed to capture quite a lot of character in that old dear.”
The item will be packed flat and shipped via Colissimo.
