George William Joy: The Bayswater Omnibus (1895)

(Museum of London, London, UK)

A painting by the Irish artist George William Joy (1844-1925). This genre painting shows the interior of a horse-drawn passenger transport, known as an 'omnibus' - in this case from the London General Omnibus Company. These transports functioned as a bus service, with picking up and dropping off passengers on route. The typical omnibus had en enclosed carriage on four wheel and was drawn by one or two horses. The people who used an omnibus were the middle class - the lower, working, class were to poor to afford a ride while the upper class had their own carriage (or hired one). Joy borrowed an omnibus for this painting which shows 5 passengers in the bus and one boarding the bus. The bus is passing Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens in the London district Bayswater. (hence the name of this work). From left to right: a mother with a baby and a young girl (modeled by the artist's wife and daughter), a well-dressed young woman, a gentleman who is reading a newspaper, a nurse and a milliner boarding (the box she is carrying is a hatbox). The pictures above the passengers are advertising posters. Painting from 1895.