Waterloo Bridge, London, looking east 1883

John Atkinson Grimshaw made this painting of Waterloo Bridge, London, looking east, in the late 19th century. It depicts a nocturnal view of London’s industrial Thames, shrouded in a smoky, green-tinged atmosphere. The painting’s meaning emerges from its cultural and historical context. Made in an era of rapid industrialization, the painting romanticizes the urban landscape, even as it acknowledges the effects of pollution and industrial labor on the city. The painting shows the famous architecture of the city alongside the tools of maritime labor, capturing a key moment in the transformation of London’s commerce. Grimshaw's stylistic choices – the soft lighting, muted colors, and careful attention to detail – reflect the influence of the Aesthetic movement, but the painting also shows the reality of London's working river. Art historians use a range of resources, from census data to art market histories, to understand the complex interplay of social conditions and artistic production. Paintings like this help us reflect on our changing relationship to the built environment.