Black-and-white etching of plague victims and fleeing crowds in a city street before a columned church, framed by an ornate border with a skull cartouche below.

The Plague in London, 1665 (etching after Smirke)

A black-and-white etched print framed by an ornate border with a crown and crossed weapons shows a crowded city street before a columned church with a tall steeple. In the foreground, a woman in a white gown lies collapsed while other figures gesture and flee, and a skull and crossbones sits in the cartouche below.

Artist: Robert Smirke
Date: 20 October 1810
Medium: Etchings
Source: Wellcome Collection
Size: 2349 × 4000 px

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Public domain · Licensed CC BY 4.0 (Wellcome Collection) by Wellcome Collection; credit required.
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier C · as stated by the source: CC BY 4.0 (Wellcome Collection)

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

17th century 1660s 1665 engraving etching historical print plague city street epidemic church skull and crossbones robert smirke black and white