Watercress Seller in Hanover Square, Cries of London, 1804

This is an original hand colored copper engraving, one of the Cries of London plates, lettered "WATER CRESSES." beneath the image. It shows an elderly watercress seller in Hanover Square. He wears a black hat, a long brown coat and a blue apron, carries a basket of cresses on his arm and holds out a bunch in his right hand, at the viewer's left. He walks along the railings of the square, with a large stone building behind.

The London setting is engraved in script above the image as "Hanover Square." and the cry in open capitals below it as "WATER CRESSES.". At the lower left is the artist's credit "Craig del." (del., for delineavit, "drew it"), naming William Marshall Craig as the designer. Along the foot runs the imprint "Published April 25 1804 by Richard Phillips 71 St Pauls Church Yard", dating the plate to April 25, 1804.

The plate comes from Modern London; Being the History and Present State of the British Metropolis, printed for Richard Phillips of St. Paul's Church Yard by C. Mercier and Co. in 1804. Alongside its topographical views of the capital the book included a series of hand colored plates of London street traders, each figure shown in working dress against a named street, square or building, so that the set records both the trades and the appearance of the city at the time. The designs in the series are credited to the painter William Marshall Craig where the plates carry his name, as this one does.

The hand coloring and the named London setting make it a good choice for a hallway, kitchen or study, alone or hung with other plates from the series.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.