Thomas Kennington | Homeless, 1890

Many orphaned or abandoned children were living on the streets during this time.

Some survived by selling matches, working as chimney sweeps or by scrounging in the River Thames for objects of value to sell.

Often exhausted and starved, these homeless children were exposed to many diseases, such as whooping cough, influenza and measles, life threatening diseases in those days.

Dressed in black clothing known as widow’s weeds, the woman drops her washing bundle to console this homeless boy. | Source: © Bendigo Art Gallery, Australia

Title: Homeless, 1890;

Artist: Thomas Benjamin Kennington (British painter, 1856-1916);

Date: 1890;

Style: Genre painting;

Medium: Oil on Canvas;

Dimensions: 172 x 150 cm;

Current location: Bendigo Art Gallery, Australia.

Molti bambini orfani od abbandonati vivevano per strada in questo periodo.

Alcuni sopravvissero vendendo fiammiferi, lavorando come spazzacamini o frugando nel Tamigi alla ricerca di oggetti di valore da vendere.

Spesso esausti e affamati, questi bambini senza casa erano esposti a molte malattie, come la pertosse, l'influenza e il morbillo, malattie mortali a quei tempi.

Vestita con abiti neri conosciuti come erba della vedova, la donna lascia cadere il fagotto della biancheria per consolare questo ragazzo senza casa. | Fonte: © Bendigo Art Gallery, Australia