Outside the Salutation Inn, Greenwich c. 1800

Thomas Rowlandson made this watercolor drawing, *Outside the Salutation Inn, Greenwich,* some time in the late 18th or early 19th century. It is a lively scene, full of people engaged in various activities near the Greenwich waterfront. Rowlandson’s London was one of stark social contrasts, and his images often reflect this. We see sailors and merchants mingling with the working class, all set against the backdrop of burgeoning maritime trade. Note the women in the foreground: some are working, carrying goods, while others are depicted nursing children or seemingly idling. The figures’ postures and expressions hint at stories of labor, leisure, and social interaction. Rowlandson doesn't shy away from the raucous aspects of society; his images celebrate the vibrant, messy reality of urban life. What do you make of this glimpse into a world where the personal and public realms so openly converged? How do you think these people regarded their place in London?