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The Encyclopedia of Photography’s Art and History

"Illustrations of China and Its People", John Thomson (1837-1921) | PhotoAnthology

Illustrations of China and Its People

John Thomson (1837-1921)

Ethnographic and artistic exploration of social and cultural traditions in 19th-century China.

With contributions from: MoMA (image source). Suggest an Edit

Illustrations of China and Its People

John Thomson (1837-1921)

Ethnographic and artistic exploration of social and cultural traditions in 19th-century China.

With contributions from: MoMA (image source). Suggest an Edit

Prince Kung, 1873

A Street in Hong-Kong
1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

A Mendicant Priest, 1873

The Toilet, 1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Musicians,1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Rolling Scented Caper and Gunpowder Teas, 1873

The Abbot of the Temple, 1873

A Hong-Kong Artist, 1873

Weighing Tea for Exportation,
1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Reading for Honours, 1873

Reeling Silk, 1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Physic Street, Canton, 1873

Opium-Smoking in a Restaurant, 1873

A Cantonese Gentleman, 1873

Mode of Carrying Child, 1873

Rock Inscription, Amoy,
1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Four Heads, Types of the Labouring Class, 1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

A Tea House, Canton, 1873

A Tea-Tasting Room, Canton, 1873

Tea Picking in Canton, 1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Musicians, 1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

A Canton Boatwoman and Child, 1873

Boat Girls, 1873

Pepohoan Women, 1873

A Catamaran, 1873

The Lady's Maid, 1873

A Bride and Bridegroom,
1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Costume of Baksa Women, 1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Chain Pumps, 1873

A Cantonese Gentleman, 1873

Four Heads, Types of the Labouring Class, 1873

Schroffing Dollars, 1873

A Bride and Bridegroom, 1873

Four Heads, Types of the Labouring Class, 1873

Four Heads, Types of the Labouring Class, 1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

The Harbour, Hong-Kong,
1873

A Canton Trading Junk, 1873; Collection of The Museum of Modern Art. Image courtesy of MoMA.

Books

Thomson's China: Travels and Adventures of a Nineteenth-century Photographer

Oxford University Press, 1994

John Thomson: China and Its People

British Council Visual Arts, 1991

China: Through the Lens of John Thomson 1868-1872

John Thomson: A Window to the Orient

University of New Mexico Press, 1989

John Thomson: Life and Photographs

Thames & Hudson, 1985

Siam & China Through the Lens of John Thomson

River Books, 1970

John Thomson (1837-1921): Photographer

The Stationery Office, 1997

More by John Thomson

The Crawlers

Street Life in London

John Thomson (1837-1921)

An early photography project documenting the living conditions of Victorian London’s urban poor.

Fishing with Cormorants

Foochow and the River Min

John Thomson (1837-1921)

The Min River region’s timeless beauty and cultural transformation during China’s late Qing Dynasty.

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