Artwork Page for An Old Clothes Shop, Seven Dials

Details / Information for An Old Clothes Shop, Seven Dials

Series Title: Street Life in London

An Old Clothes Shop, Seven Dials

1877

John Thomson

(Scottish, 1837–1921)
Culture
England, 19th century
Medium
woodburytype
Measurements
Image: 11.5 x 9 cm (4 1/2 x 3 9/16 in.); Paper: 11.5 x 9 cm (4 1/2 x 3 9/16 in.); Mounted: 27.1 x 20.8 cm (10 11/16 x 8 3/16 in.)
Credit Line
Photography Discretionary Fund 2019.51
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
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Did You Know?

When this photo was taken, Seven Dials, a London neighborhood linking Covent Garden to Soho, was a slum that housed shops that bought and sold used clothing and furniture.

Description

According to John Thomson’s collaborator, journalist Adolphe Smith, the dealers in this neighborhood were sources of last resort for those trying to sell items that had already been rejected by pawnbrokers. They were also where “the majority of those individuals who earn a promiscuous livelihood in the streets of London succeed in clothing themselves for a minimum outlay.”
A vertically oriented woodburytype in sepia tones depicts two women and a child, all with light skin tones, among hanging garments. On our left, a woman stands in profile clutching a bundle. Beside her, a small child faces forward. On our right, another woman stands with hands on her hips. Dozens of dresses and coats hang from above and along the walls, densely filling the space and framing the trio.

An Old Clothes Shop, Seven Dials

1877

John Thomson

(Scottish, 1837–1921)
England, 19th century

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