An urchin 

William Henry Hunt made this watercolor, "An Urchin," in England. Hunt's delicate and humane image offers a glimpse into the lives of the urban poor. The term "urchin" itself points to a particular social anxiety. In 19th-century London, rapid industrialization and urbanization led to a surge in poverty and child labor. The figure of the "urchin" – a homeless child, often involved in petty crime – became a symbol of this social crisis. Hunt, however, avoids sensationalism. He presents the boy not as a threat, but as an individual, capturing a sense of vulnerability and resilience. Hunt worked in a period when institutions like the Royal Academy were solidifying the status of art. Yet, his choice of subject matter, and his use of watercolor – a medium often associated with amateur art – implicitly challenges the hierarchy of artistic genres. To understand Hunt's work better, we can consult social surveys, newspaper articles, and other documents that shed light on the lives of the urban poor in 19th-century England. Only then can we fully appreciate the social and institutional context in which Hunt’s work was created.