John Thomson

John Thomson is one of the most important figures in nineteenth-century photography of China. He established a photography studio in Hong Kong in 1868 and made photographic journeys throughout China, venturing up the Min and Yangtze rivers. Thomson introduced the beauty of inland China to the world through his photographic prints and his highly acclaimed photographically illustrated books. Thomson’s magnum opus is his photographically illustrated work Foochow and the River Min (1873), which survives in only eight known sets. Thomson’s photographs are prized for his unconventional approach to composition and his ability to convey his great sensitivity to Chinese people, culture, and art.