Gezicht op het Banqueting House en Horse Guards Building te Londen Possibly 1753

Thomas Jefferys, a leading mapmaker, created this print of the Banqueting House and Horse Guards Building in London. This image offers a glimpse into eighteenth-century London, reflecting the rigid class structure of the time. On one side, the architecture displays the grandeur of the British monarchy, while the street is dotted with figures, each carefully placed to indicate social standing. Notice how the people become smaller as they move further into the distance, perhaps indicating their importance. Jefferys' London catered to the elite, who sought views of their city that reinforced their status. Yet, the print also offers us a window into the lives of those who maintained the city's infrastructure. Ultimately, this view reminds us that the spectacle of power is always supported by a network of labor and lives, often unseen but essential.