Plate 9: four street vendors from Madrid selling different kinds of birds (chicken, turkey, etc), from "Los Gritos de Madrid" (The Cries of Madrid) 1809 - 1817

Plate 9: four street vendors from Madrid selling different kinds of birds, from "Los Gritos de Madrid," was created by Miguel Gamborino in the late 18th century, a period of significant social and economic change in Spain. This print offers a glimpse into the daily lives of Madrid's working class, specifically those who made a living selling poultry. We see vendors, identified by their dress and the tools of their trade, each offering different fowl—chickens, turkeys, small birds—for sale. The cries of these vendors would have been a familiar sound in the city. What strikes me is the visual and social hierarchy subtly at play. The vendors, despite their essential role in the city’s economy, occupy a lower rung of society. Their clothing, while practical, marks them as distinct from the wealthier classes. This image reflects the economic stratification of the time, where access to resources and social mobility were often determined by birth and occupation. Gamborino captures not just a scene, but a social landscape, inviting us to reflect on the lives and labor of those who shaped the vibrant, bustling city of Madrid.