Street Life in London, John Thomson, c. 1877 - in or before 1878

Woodburytype, h 110mm × w 88mm More details

The recording of street sellers and types has a long tradition in the visual arts. Printed Cris de Paris and Street Cries of London date back centuries. The theme was also embraced by photography. Thomson portrayed London’s flower and newspaper sellers, city nomads, chimney sweeps, and the fishmonger of St. Giles. The photographs were accompanied by Smith’s stories.