Street Advertising
Photograph
1877-1878 (made)
1877-1878 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Object Type
The photographer John Thomson (1837-1921) used the 'Woodburytype' process patented in 1864 for the images in Street Life in London, including this photograph. This was a type of photomechanical reproduction using pigmented gelatin, usually of a rich purple-brown colour. The process was complicated but remained popular until about 1900 because of the high quality and permanence of the finished images.
Subjects Depicted
Those who pasted advertisements in difficult positions while perched on ladders were paid higher wages than others in the same job. Employees were often paid by the hour unless it was raining (which prevented pasting), when they were not paid at all. There were around 200 people employed in street advertising, including those who would ride round the city to see that the work had been done properly. Street advertising was considered a good alternative to the workhouse (an institution where the poor were housed and given work).
Real or Posed?
The people in the pictures were arranged or posed by Thomson to form interesting compositions. However, the results were often naturalistic because the subjects and surroundings were always authentic.
The photographer John Thomson (1837-1921) used the 'Woodburytype' process patented in 1864 for the images in Street Life in London, including this photograph. This was a type of photomechanical reproduction using pigmented gelatin, usually of a rich purple-brown colour. The process was complicated but remained popular until about 1900 because of the high quality and permanence of the finished images.
Subjects Depicted
Those who pasted advertisements in difficult positions while perched on ladders were paid higher wages than others in the same job. Employees were often paid by the hour unless it was raining (which prevented pasting), when they were not paid at all. There were around 200 people employed in street advertising, including those who would ride round the city to see that the work had been done properly. Street advertising was considered a good alternative to the workhouse (an institution where the poor were housed and given work).
Real or Posed?
The people in the pictures were arranged or posed by Thomson to form interesting compositions. However, the results were often naturalistic because the subjects and surroundings were always authentic.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Titles |
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Materials and techniques | Woodburytype |
Brief description | Street advertising |
Physical description | Photograph |
Dimensions |
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Gallery label |
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Credit line | Given by Mrs D. Crisp |
Object history | Taken in London by John Thomson (born in Edinburgh, 1837, died in London, 1921) |
Summary | Object Type The photographer John Thomson (1837-1921) used the 'Woodburytype' process patented in 1864 for the images in Street Life in London, including this photograph. This was a type of photomechanical reproduction using pigmented gelatin, usually of a rich purple-brown colour. The process was complicated but remained popular until about 1900 because of the high quality and permanence of the finished images. Subjects Depicted Those who pasted advertisements in difficult positions while perched on ladders were paid higher wages than others in the same job. Employees were often paid by the hour unless it was raining (which prevented pasting), when they were not paid at all. There were around 200 people employed in street advertising, including those who would ride round the city to see that the work had been done properly. Street advertising was considered a good alternative to the workhouse (an institution where the poor were housed and given work). Real or Posed? The people in the pictures were arranged or posed by Thomson to form interesting compositions. However, the results were often naturalistic because the subjects and surroundings were always authentic. |
Collection | |
Accession number | PH.322-1982 |
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Record created | March 27, 2003 |
Record URL |
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