1815 (made)
| Artist/Maker |
This print by John Thomas Smith was published in Vagabondiana, a collection of prints of well-known London beggars and street traders, published first as a folio of prints in 1815-17 and as a book in 1817. Smith was particularly interested in life in London: he was also responsible for The Cries of London, published in 1839, after his death. The 'Cries' of London were originally the calls of street traders and hawkers selling their wares. They became a rich source of inspiration for British musicians and artists, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. Vagabondiana fits into this tradition, and the inclusion of real-life black personalities reflects the historical presence of many black men among the London poor, and the fact that this was recognised in mainstream publications of the time.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Etching on paper |
| Brief description | Plate from Smith's 'Vagabondiana' showing the Jamaican crossing-sweeper Charles M'Gee |
| Physical description | Print of a black man, Charles M'Gee, with white hair dressed in a coat and trousers carrying a broom and holding out his hat. |
| Marks and inscriptions | London Published as the Act directs December 1815 / by John Thomas Smith, No.4 Chandos Street Covent Garden |
| Credit line | The Rev. C. H. Townshend Bequest |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This print by John Thomas Smith was published in Vagabondiana, a collection of prints of well-known London beggars and street traders, published first as a folio of prints in 1815-17 and as a book in 1817. Smith was particularly interested in life in London: he was also responsible for The Cries of London, published in 1839, after his death. The 'Cries' of London were originally the calls of street traders and hawkers selling their wares. They became a rich source of inspiration for British musicians and artists, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. Vagabondiana fits into this tradition, and the inclusion of real-life black personalities reflects the historical presence of many black men among the London poor, and the fact that this was recognised in mainstream publications of the time. |
| Associated objects |
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| Bibliographic reference | Smith, John Thomas. Vagabondiana; or, Anecdotes of mendicant wanderers through the streets of London; with portraits of the most remarkable, drawn from life. London, 1817. 52p, mounted front., illus., 32 pl. 36cm. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.3448-1902 |
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| Record created | November 13, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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