Cries of London, No. 8: Hot Cross Buns 1799

"Cries of London, No. 8: Hot Cross Buns" (1799) by Henri Merke is an aquatint and hand-colored etching depicting a London street scene. The print captures the daily life of London's working class, showcasing a vendor selling hot cross buns to a group of children. Merke's "Cries of London" series is a collection of prints that documents the diverse street vendors and their wares in late 18th-century London. This particular print is housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The detailed representation of the characters and the bustling atmosphere of the street bring a snapshot of 18th-century London to life.