The present drawing is after John Russell's 1803 Royal Academy exhibit (N. Jeffares, Dictionary of pastellists, online edition, no. J.64.3474), which was accompanied by the verses 'O call me not lazy-back, beggar, and bold-enough' from H. Piercy's 1802 balled The Beggar Girl. 'Cries' of London, illustrating the well-known characters of the city's streets, were hugely popular at the turn of the 19th Century, and were often reproduced in print.
The present work has previously been identified as one of several versions of the subject by Russell, but the handling and colours suggest that it is by a slightly later follower.
We are grateful to Neil Jeffares for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.