James Edward Freeman - The Savoyard Boy in London, 1863

The title would probably be considered today as anti-PC, but in 19th century London they were using plain words to express plain facts. Beggars were by that time referred as Savoyard Boys, as many of them were actually from Savoia, traveling throughout Europe and making a living by street performances of all kind.

Nicolas Dalayrac composed in 1789 Les Deux Petites Savoyards, a comic opera that enjoyed great success by those years in Paris, in London and in Philadelphia: two little Savoyard boys exhibiting their pet marmot at country fairs and eventually discovered by their rich uncle.

Life was actually much less generous: rumor was that villains attracted the poor boys in isolated places to kill them and to sell their corpses to medical schools.

James Edward Freeman painted this in 1863 and left an ambiguity on the development of situations: look at the little monkey near the run-down wall with torn posters. He could be a pet used by the boy in his performances, or a small devil waiting for his prey, once the kids would be killed.

- Close up on the boy and the girl -

- Close up on the little monkey -

(American Art and Portraiture)