Exhibition: Cries of London

This exhibition, curated by The Gentle Author of Spitalfields Life, features fine examples of Cries of London from Bishopsgate Institute's archive.

For centuries, those who had no other means of income could sell wares in the street and, by turning their presence into a performance through song, they won the hearts of generations and came to embody the spirit of London itself. These hawkers inspired many artists, including Marcellus Laroon (1653-1702), Francis Wheatley (1747-1801), William Marshall Craig (died 1827) and John Thomas Smith (1766-1833), to create series of portraits known as the ‘Cries of London.’

This exhibition will highlight some of the most significant examples of these remarkable prints.