Art Sale at Hyde Park Corner, London 1960

This authentic 1960s colour photograph offers a fascinating glimpse into the social and physical landscape of London during the Hyde Park Corner redevelopment in 1960. The image captures an open-air art exhibition and sale, with numerous framed works and sketches hanging from a wire fence along the pedestrian walkway. Behind the art display, the “Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd” sign can be seen on Apsley House, which marks the site of the Piccadilly underpass construction, a project that redefined one of the city’s busiest junctions. A diverse group of Londoners in early-sixties fashion populate the scene: a man in a dark bowler hat and grey overcoat stands with a small black dog on a lead, while another gentleman in a brown duffle coat walks toward the camera. The juxtaposition of the delicate artworks against the industrial scale of the engineering works reflects the era’s unique blend of traditional culture and modernist ambition. This digital download is an evocative record of a city in transition, perfect to print for yourself as a piece of atmospheric vintage wall art.