The independent shoe-black before 1881

"The Independent Shoe-Black" is a photo taken by John Thomson before 1881 as part of his series "Street Life in London." It depicts a street scene with a man getting his boots shined by a young boy. Thomson's photographs, often printed in the "Graphic" newspaper, documented the lives of London's working class, capturing the hardship and beauty of the city's underbelly. "The Independent Shoe-Black" is a poignant example of Thomson's photographic realism, showcasing the realities of Victorian life in a captivating and intimate manner.