Dealer in fancy-ware by John Thomson

Dealer in fancy-ware before 1877

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photography, gelatin-silver-print

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portrait

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aged paper

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homemade paper

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sketch book

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hand drawn type

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street-photography

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photography

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personal sketchbook

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hand-drawn typeface

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journal

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fading type

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gelatin-silver-print

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sketchbook drawing

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genre-painting

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sketchbook art

Dimensions: height 90 mm, width 116 mm

Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain

John Thomson's "Dealer in Fancy-Ware" presents a snapshot of street life, immortalized in a photograph. Here, a humble merchant displays his wares, everyday items imbued with the promise of beauty and utility. Notice the assortment of goods—each object, though modest, carries symbolic weight. The wheelbarrow itself, a recurring motif throughout art history, echoes images of itinerant merchants from medieval tapestries to Renaissance prints. These figures are more than just sellers; they are carriers of culture, much like Hermes, the messenger of the gods. The act of offering goods in the street is evocative of ancient marketplaces, where trade was not merely economic but also a vital form of social exchange. The wheelbarrow can be seen as a modern evolution of the cornucopia, symbolizing abundance and the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth. It has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.

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