London Types: Hawker

At the turn of the last century, civic pride inspired stories, songs, poems, and images of London and its people—both noble and humble. William Nicholson personified Londoners, such as hawkers selling trinkets, with his London Types. The series proved so popular that William Ernst Henley composed poems to accompany each print. Tourists could imagine encountering each of Nicholson's characters, from the barmaid to the beefeater, and locals could say, "I know him."

A vertically oriented woodcut and watercolor print on tan paper depicts a man wearing a dark bowler hat and tan coat, looking at us. A tray is strapped around his neck, and his arms extend outward, holding a small figure. Bold black outlines detail his downturned mouth and pink cheeks. In the background, a horse-drawn carriage sits near people on a green lawn. The composition uses thick, blocky lines and flat, simplified color.

London Types: Hawker

1898

William Nicholson

(British, 1872–1949)

England, 19th century

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