Wyllie's 1884 depiction of the working river shows something of the grim reality of the day-to-day life of lightermen and the other workers. As the picture's title suggests, there was a stark contrast between the wealth created by commerce and the toil of those employed on the river. Wyllie exhibited the picture on which it is based at the Royal Academy in 1883. This oil painting is now in Tate Britain. It is considered to be his most important picture and helped to make his reputation.