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Clik here to view.![William Powell Frith - Poverty and Wealth [1888]](//www.rssing.com/inc2/img/tinyinf.webp)
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![William Powell Frith - Poverty and Wealth [1888]](http://c5.staticflickr.com/1/398/31805390620_2f6bceb288_b.jpg)
As the title implies, Poverty and Wealth is a painting of two opposing worlds and each is separated from the other through the division of the composition – the poor on the right and the rich on the left. It is a pictorial comment upon injustice and morals in contemporary society. An elegantly-dressed young mother is preparing to board a landau where her trio of children wait for her with their governesses, enveloped in ruffles of bright-white lace. Behind her, one of the footmen is carrying a large model Noah’s ark, a purchase for one of the children from the toy-shop the window of which can be seen displaying dolls and a hobby-horse. The contrast on the right is stark as a queue of people, mainly children, are buying fish from a monger at the end of the day when the remnants were sold for a fraction of their price. These are not the destitute of London’s streets but they are certainly from the lower-end of the economic ladder.
[Sotheby’s, London - Oil on canvas, 81 x 119 cm]
