The Fruit Sellers c. 1842 - 1845

"The Fruit Sellers" is a calotype photograph taken by William Henry Fox Talbot around 1842–1845, and is now in the collection of The Art Institute of Chicago. The image portrays a group of individuals, likely posed, engaged in selling fruit outdoors. This work demonstrates Talbot's innovative use of the calotype process, a photographic technique he developed, to capture a snapshot of everyday life in a naturalistic and intimate way. The photograph is a poignant example of early photography and its potential for documenting the social and cultural aspects of the time.