Night Life in Philadelphia
This watercolor by Russian painter Pavel Svinin (1787–1839) captures the social diversity and allure of urban America. A respectable gentleman relishes the delicacies sold by a black oysterman. Meanwhile, a young woman — probably a prostitute but perhaps an adventurous working girl — engages the attention of two well-dressed young “swells” outside the Chestnut Street Theatre. Such scenes were new to Americans and marked the beginning of a profound split between the nation’s rural and urban cultures. © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Image source: Art Resource, NY.