St. Paul’s, A Rainy Day in London (The Orange Seller)

Private Collection, Winnipeg

Sitting on Ludgate Hill, the highest point of The City east of central London, St. Paul’s Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of London and the mother church of the Diocese of London. Industrial reform of the nineteenth century transformed both the church itself and the surrounding industry within The City. Between 1710 and 1962, the Cathedral was the tallest building in London, with legislation put in place to ensure that no surrounding structure should obstruct the view of the Cathedral across London. In the period of Bell-Smith’s rendering of this architectural mainstay, St. Paul’s was a touchstone of national identity and resilience having been rebuilt numerous times since it’s consecration in 604 CE. Continuing to be the banking centre of London, The City—the original ancient Roman jurisdiction of London—is a bustling borough of finance and industry, with some of the world’s tallest and architecturally progressive skyscrapers.