Cheap Fish of St. Giles's 1881

John Thomson's "Cheap Fish of St. Giles's" (1881) is a poignant photographic study of poverty and street life in Victorian London. The image depicts a street vendor selling fish from a cart, surrounded by a group of people, likely customers, who are gathered around him. The composition highlights the stark realities of daily life for the working class, captured in their worn clothing and the simple, often meager, conditions of their surroundings. This evocative photograph is part of Thomson's groundbreaking series "Street Life in London" which provided a unique and unflinching glimpse into the lives of the city's poorest citizens.