Busking Collection (#2)

A Scant Audience - Victorian Christmas card (chromolitho)
731713 A Scant Audience - Victorian Christmas card (chromolitho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A Scant Audience - Victorian Christmas card)

Buskers on a street in North London
On a street in North London, one man plays the clarinet whilst his disabled partner waits to approach a passer-by for a donation. Date: circa 1940s

Accordion player, Bethnal Green Road, London
An accordion player busking amidst market crowds in Londons Bethnal Green Road. Date: circa 1930s

James Stuart (engraving)
1617008 James Stuart (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: James Stuart. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 29 April 1843)

Itinerant Musicians (coloured engraving)
585473 Itinerant Musicians (coloured engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Itinerant musicians)

The Travelling Musicians (engraving)
585470 The Travelling Musicians (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Travelling Musicians, London)

View of a street organist and a woman eating lunch on West 42nd Street, New York
MNY381174 View of a street organist and a woman eating lunch on West 42nd Street, New York, 1898 (silver gelatin print) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); 20.3x25.4 cm; Museum of the City of New York

Paganini as a Street Musician (engraving)
2796530 Paganini as a Street Musician (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Paganini as a Street Musician. Illustration for Chatterbox, 1891)

Street entertainer: weirdly garbed Houdini of the pit queue (b / w photo)
3637419 Street entertainer: weirdly garbed Houdini of the pit queue (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Street entertainer)

The Broken Tambourine (engraving)
1105340 The Broken Tambourine (engraving) by Coninck, Pierre-Louis de (1828-1910); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Broken Tambourine)

Man With Violin, 1879 (oil on canvas)
651111 Man With Violin, 1879 (oil on canvas) by Brown, John George (1831-1913); 68.4x50.8 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Man With Violin. John George Brown (1831-1913). Oil on canvas

The Musicians (or The Minstrels), 1907 (pastel)
6198410 The Musicians (or The Minstrels), 1907 (pastel) by Herald, James Watterston (1859-1914); 52.7x64.8 cm; The McManus, Dundee

The Young Flageolet-Player (engraving)
1602651 The Young Flageolet-Player (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Young Flageolet-Player)

Street entertainer: a wandering harpist (b / w photo)
3637417 Street entertainer: a wandering harpist (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Street entertainer: a wandering harpist)

On Waterloo Bridge, London (w / c on panel)
BOU203012 On Waterloo Bridge, London (w/c on panel) by Mulready, Augustus Edward (1844-c.1905); 33x23 cm; Private Collection; eBourne Gallery, Reigate, Surrey, UK; English, out of copyright

A blind street musician, New York, 1898 (silver gelatin print)
MNY381172 A blind street musician, New York, 1898 (silver gelatin print) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); 20.3x25.4 cm; Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American

Street musicians: a harpist and violinist (sepia photo)
STC347501 Street musicians: a harpist and violinist (sepia photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

The Street Players
BAL15640 The Street Players by Firmin-Girard, Marie Francois (1838-1921); Josef Mensing Gallery, Hamm-Rhynern, Germany; French, out of copyright

Singer (chromolitho)
1093714 Singer (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Singer. French educational card, late 19th or early 20th century.); © Look and Learn; French

Boy busking with an accordion (colour photo)
3094424 Boy busking with an accordion (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Boy busking with an accordion)

They went around the house, playing under the windows
PT177499 They went around the house, playing under the windows, illustration from Old Christmas by Washington Irving (1783-1859) published by Hodder and Stoughton, 1908 (colour litho) by Aldin

The Young Violinist, c. 1880 (w / c on paper)
BOU203024 The Young Violinist, c.1880 (w/c on paper) by Bach, Guido (1828-1905); Private Collection; Bourne Gallery, Reigate, Surrey; German, out of copyright

Singing for Bread (engraving)
1589512 Singing for Bread (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Singing for Bread. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 26 September 1874)

The Little Strollers, 1874 (oil on canvas)
985179 The Little Strollers, 1874 (oil on canvas) by Brown, John George (1831-1913); 45.1x35.5 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: The Little Strollers. John George Brown (1831-1913). Oil on canvas

Italian organ grinder (colour litho)
3095087 Italian organ grinder (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Italian organ grinder. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Village band (colour photo)
3094528 Village band (colour photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Village band)

Street Scene in Seville (oil on canvas)
CH204228 Street Scene in Seville (oil on canvas) by Eakins, Thomas Cowperthwait (1844-1916); Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; American, out of copyright

Boy playing an accordion (colour litho)
3095081 Boy playing an accordion (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Boy playing an accordion. Postcard, early 20th century.); © Look and Learn

Itinerant Musicians playing in a poor part of town (w / c on paper)
STC205073 Itinerant Musicians playing in a poor part of town (w/c on paper) by Sandby, Paul (1725-1809); Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK; The Stapleton Collection; English, out of copyright

A priest plays a concertina outside Crabbs Concertina Shop in Liverpool Street, Islington, London 15th May 1967

Passers by stop and admire the work of a street artist, who uses the pavements of Rankestrafze and Kufurstendamm, Berlin, as his canvas. Circa 1965

Members of the Salvation Army perform on the corner of Passauer Strasse and Tauentzien Strasse, to raise funds for the local Berlin residents that have fallen on hard times. Circa 1965

A musician busking at Oxford Circus Station - February 1987 standing and playing the guitar on the top of the escalator

The Clash playing live in a pub in Leeds, they stunned fans with a blitz of unannounced gigs. This was part of their busking tour of Britain. Pictured, Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer. May 1985

Bon Jovi brought the walkways of Londons South Bank to a standstill when they played an impromptu mini-concert outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, 14th June 1995

man playing accordian to people sitting in cafe smoking

The Busking, George Heriots School, Edinburgh, Scotland. Heriot (c. 1563 - 1624) was jewellery to King James VI of Scotland. In June, pupils busk at his foundation stone Date: 17th century

A Young Savoyard, 1835-1836. Creator: Frederick Yeates Hurlstone
A Young Savoyard, 1835-1836

The Spanish Singer (Le Guitarrero), 1861-62. Creator: Edouard Manet
The Spanish Singer (Le Guitarrero), 1861-62

A Man From Provence, 1737. Creator: Caylus, Anne-Claude-Philippe de
A Man From Provence, 1737

HOGARTH / INDUSTRY / IDLE 6
6. The industrious prentice out of his time and married to his masters daughter Date: 1747

EyeUbiquitous_20117892
Scotland, Lothian, Edinburgh, Clown busker with young couple holding hands walking by

Small boy busking with his violin for an audience in Dublin
A small boy busking with his violin for an audience in Grafton Street, Dublin, Ireland. He wears a tee shirt and shorts Date: 1992

Guitarists busking in the street, York, England
A young couple walk round a corner in York and see two musicians busking in the street in front of a shop. In the background is York Minster. The Daily Telegraph Date: 1991

Busker with dogs, Cheltenham - 2
A busker plays a tune on his violin outside a shopping centre in Cheltenham, while his two mongrel dogs snooze and stretch. His violin case is open and there some coins in it

Busker with dogs, Cheltenham - 1
A busker plays a tune on his violin outside a shopping centre in Cheltenham, while his two mongrel dogs snooze and stretch. His violin case is open and there are some coins in it. Portrait format

Whose music is that which you were playing just now?, (1907). Creator: Unknown
Whose music is that which you were playing just now?, (1907). It was a common fashion in Vienna...for poor and struggling musicians to earn a few florins by serenading personages of note...Felix

Strassensanger, mid-late 19th century, (c1924). Creator: Carl Spitzweg
Strassensanger, mid-late 19th century, (c1924). Street singers. From " Die gute alte Zeit: Zeichnungen von Karl Spitzweg", (The Good Old Days: drawings by Karl Spitzweg)

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Busking, the art of street performance, has a rich history that spans across continents and generations. From the lively streets of England to the vibrant cities of Cuba, buskers have captivated audiences with their unique talents. In Liverpool, the birthplace of The Beatles, Penny Lane became immortalized by Paul McCartney's iconic song. Here, a One-Man-Band takes center stage with his complicated apparatus and collecting box stuck on the end. His melodic tunes fill the air as passersby stop to listen in awe. Meanwhile, in Glasgow's Dukes bar, The Clash breaks boundaries during their Busking Tour. Playing live inside this intimate venue, they bring raw energy and rebellious spirit to their adoring fans. Street music becomes a family affair as a talented group of singers harmonize together. Their voices blend seamlessly as they share their love for music with anyone willing to lend an ear. Traveling further south brings us to Havana's Plaza de la Catedral in Cuba. A skilled trumpet player serenades locals and tourists alike with soulful melodies that echo through this historic square. In Santiago de Cuba, we encounter a bass player whose rhythmic beats transport listeners into another world. And nearby stands a guitar player strumming heartfelt chords that resonate deeply within all who hear him play. Back in London's bustling streets during the early 1900s, street musicians add color and charm to everyday life. Whether it be an individual playing an instrument or groups performing together - each artist contributes their own unique flair to create an enchanting atmosphere for those passing by. Taking inspiration from times gone by are street musicians accompanied by monkeys - adding an element of surprise and amusement for spectators during Victorian times. Bagpipes also make appearances alongside these talented individuals; its haunting sound blending harmoniously with traditional melodies played on various instruments. Busking continues to thrive today as modern-day London street musicians carry on this cherished tradition passed down through generations.