Rowlandson, the renowned satirical and watercolour artist was born in London, the son of a textile merchant. Along with his friend James Gillray he became a leading satirist of his time. As well as his satirical prints, Rowlandson also produced book and journal illustrations and in 1808 began working on the most important of these - illustrations for Rudolph Ackermann's 'The Microcosm of London'. This exquisitely produced work was produced in 3 volumes between 1808 and 1811 and illustrated with 104 hand-coloured aquatints. Augustus Pugin (later architect of the Houses of Parliament) drew the buildings with Rowlandson then painting in the people on a scale and in a style never before seen in topographical book illustration.
The same team of Ackermann as publisher with Rowlandson and Pugin as artists produced another set of 18 aquatints entitled 'Views of London' (1811-1822) and the watercolour shown here is the original drawing for plate 2, entitled 'A Bird's eye view of Smithfield Market taken from the Bear and Ragged Staff'. It shows a view of the east side of the Market when it still traded in livestock (as it had done since at least the twelfth century). Despite the problems caused by drovers bringing their animals into the heart of the expanding and industrialised City the sale of live cattle, sheep and horses continued until 1855 (when it was transferred to the Caledonian Market, Islington.) Blood from slaughtered animals ran freely in the streets. Animals often escaped and rampaged through the streets and the drovers had a drunken, riotous reputation.