Billingsgate and the Monument

Billingsgate and the Monument depicts two of the most prominent landmarks in the eastern City: the ancient fish market that had operated on the Thames since at least the tenth century, and Christopher Wren's 202-foot column commemorating the Great Fire of 1666. Together they represent the commercial and historical character of the City that Scott documented throughout his career. Scott's Thames views constitute the most comprehensive pictorial survey of London's riverside ever undertaken by a single artist.

The vertical thrust of the Monument contrasts with the low riverside buildings of Billingsgate, creating a compositional dynamic that Scott exploits to organize his detailed rendering of the busy waterfront.