Anna Novakov and T. Novakov
like a yellow silken scarf, the thick fog hangs along the quay[1]
In the 1880s, London’s frequent and well-documented episodes of fog were a phenomenon unique to England’s most densely populated, diverse, and industrialized urban center. The spectacular nature of the embankment fog, often described by eyewitnesses as changeable and even colorful, caught the imagination of many artists and writers who saw in these atmospheric manifestations a symbol of modernity and the role of industrialization on an evolving urban space. While the illusive city, shrouded in winter fog, created the perfect backdrop for mysterious, criminal activity, it also proved to be a compelling inspiration for those who read the fog as a more positive symbol of London’s cosmopolitan status. In this essay, we seek to interrelate some artistic and literary references to the fog with contemporary explanations addressing the causes of this atmospheric phenomenon. Through this inte