John Thomson

John Thomson was a photographer whose documented career was concentrated in the early 1860s, with activity recorded between 1860 and 1863. His photographic output during this period focused primarily on military and social documentation in East Asia, specifically addressing the geopolitical environment surrounding the Second Opium War.

Thomson’s subjects often centered on the aftermath of conflict and military presence, as evidenced by works such as After the Capture of the North Fort at Pekin 1860 and Scene After Capture at the North Fort by the French and English at Pekin, 1860. Other works document key figures and commercial centers, including the portrait Captain of the Indian Sheik Cavalry, Pekin and the location study Augustine Heard & Co., Shanghai.

Fifteen of John Thomson's historical photographs are represented in major international museum collections, confirming the museum-quality status of his early work. Institutions holding these important John Thomson prints include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. Due to the era of their creation, much of this historically significant photography is now within the public domain.