Stanislawa De Karlowska

Fried fish and chips shops were found in large numbers in London at this time. The food became a staple of a working-class diet. De Karlowska focuses on the figures queuing up to be served. There is a strong sense of London life glimpsed in passing. She also captures the fall of yellow gaslight, penetrating the gloom of the street. When the picture was first exhibited, a reviewer commented, ‘Restful indeed are the quiet subtle harmonies of blue and yellow, while the soft steamy oily atmosphere lifts the common ‘Fried Fish Shop’ into the realm of poetry.’