Published in 1873, Illustrations of China and Its People by John Thomson is an early photographic project documenting 19th-century China. Comprising over 200 photographs from Thomson’s travels between 1868 and 1872, the work offers a visual and written account of 19th-century China’s cultural, social, and physical environment. Thomson, a Scottish photographer and geographer, created this body of work during a period when photography itself was still evolving as an artistic and documentary medium.
Set against the backdrop of increasing global interest in China, Thomson’s project reflects the complex dynamics of a nation facing internal transformations and growing interactions with Western powers. His journey spanned thousands of miles across major urban centers like Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, as well as rural villages, rivers, and mountainous regions. The photographs document a wide array of subjects, including aristocrats, laborers, merchants, religious figures, and landscapes, offering insights into the hierarchical structures, daily routines, and cultural traditions of the time. This endeavor was as much a feat of exploration as it was an exercise in cultural documentation, undertaken amidst logistical and cultural challenges such as superstition and local mistrust.
Thomson’s artistic vision for the project emphasized authenticity and respect for his subjects. He sought to depict individuals and environments with dignity, avoiding overt exoticism while exploring themes of continuity and change. By portraying the everyday lives of common people alongside the grandeur of imperial architecture, Thomson created a nuanced narrative of a society at a crossroads. His portrayal of wealth disparity—contrasting ornate portraits of Qing officials with intimate depictions of peasants and artisans—underscored the socioeconomic divides of the era.
The project’s aesthetic style is characterized by precision and attention to detail. Thomson used a large-format camera and the wet collodion process, which required developing images on fragile glass plates. This process demanded meticulous care and adaptability, as he often worked in makeshift darkrooms during his travels.
Upon its release, Illustrations of China and Its People circulated mainly by subscription as a costly four-volume set—praised for its collotype plates but limited in reach. Visibility broadened through later adaptations and, more recently, via institutional holdings and touring exhibitions, including China: Through the Lens of John Thomson (1868–1872), which toured across the UK, Europe, and Asia.
