Sunlight Soap

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool picture! It's called Sunlight Soap, and it's from a long, long time ago – the beginning of the 1900s! It shows us what London looked like then. Can anyone guess what the picture might be about, just by the title? nn --- nn This picture is a print, which means it's like a special copy made from a drawing. The artist, Joseph Pennell, used black and grey ink, kind of like drawing with a really dark pencil. He didn't use lots of colors, but look how interesting it is! See how he makes the buildings look bumpy and rough? He did that by drawing lots of little lines, close together. It's like he's showing us the texture of the bricks! What do you think the buildings are made of? nn --- nn Look closely! See all the people? They're all outside a shop that sells Sunlight Soap. It's a bit like seeing a snapshot of people going about their day. There are women and children. What do you think they might be doing? Are they shopping? Talking to each other? nn --- nn This picture isn't just about a shop; it's about the people who lived in London a long time ago. It shows us how they lived and what their lives were like. The artist wanted to show us the everyday lives of ordinary people, not just kings and queens! Do you think it's important to show pictures of ordinary people? Why or why not? nn --- nn See how the artist made the light look bright in some places and dark in others? That's called shading, and it helps us see how the light was shining that day. It makes the picture feel real, like we're standing there in London with them! Can you point out the places where the light is brightest? And the darkest? nn --- nn Sunlight Soap is a really special picture because it shows us a part of history. It helps us understand what life was like for people in London a long, long time ago. It's like a window into the past! What do you think you've learned about London from this picture? What questions do you still have? I hope you enjoyed looking at this amazing artwork! Let's go see some more!