Milk below Maids
1793
Francis Wheatley captured the bustling street life of 18th-century London in his famous 'Cries of London' series, and this charming scene is a perfect example. A sturdy milkmaid, balancing heavy buckets on a wooden yoke, pauses to serve two eager children while a scruffy dog watches hopefully nearby. The title is actually a clever pun on the vendor's traditional street cry, 'Milk below, maids!' which she would shout to attract customers. These prints were incredibly popular, bringing the lively, noisy atmosphere of Georgian London streets right into people's homes.