汤姆森(左侧）与随从在拍摄期间

名称: Old Woman/老妇女
类别: Negative/底片
日期: 1860
尺寸: 7.5x13cm


John Thomson (June 14, 1837-September 29, 1921), born in Edinburgh, Scotland, was one of the most significant photographers of the 19th century. He was not only a photographer but also a geographer, explorer, and writer, whose lens faithfully documented the landscapes, people, and customs of Eastern countries. His works remain vital records of social and cultural history, and he is widely recognized as a pioneer of documentary photography and an early forerunner of photojournalism.

约翰·汤姆森（John Thomson，1837年6月14日-1921年9月29日），出生于苏格兰爱丁堡，是19世纪最重要的摄影师之一。他不仅是一位摄影师，同时还是地理学家、探险家与作家，他的镜头真实地记录了东方各国的风土人情和社会面貌。他的摄影作品成为重要的人文与历史影像资料，被誉为纪实摄影的先驱之一，并对后来的新闻摄影产生了深远影响。
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Between 1857 and 1858, Thomson studied evening classes at the Watt Institution and School of Arts, and in 1861 he became a member of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts. Beginning in 1862, he embarked on a decade-long journey through Asia, capturing people, scenery, and cultural life across the Far East. His travels took him to the Straits of Malacca, India, Cambodia, Thailand, and China, where he was assisted by three Hong Kong collaborators. In 1866, he returned briefly to Britain, exhibiting photographs from his Asian journeys.

Thomson’s works hold exceptional artistic and historical value. His series of photographs, blending scientific observation with artistic sensibility, are praised for their clarity, composition, and cultural depth. They have become cornerstones in the history of early documentary photography. Today, his prints and negatives are preserved in world-class institutions such as the Wellcome Collection, the National Library of Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland, and the Smithsonian Institution. These collections not only highlight Thomson’s pioneering contributions to visual anthropology but also secure his legacy as one of the foremost interpreters of 19th-century Asia through the medium of photography.

1869年汤姆森再次来中国，在香港皇后大道开设了一间摄影室，拍摄人像和出售香港风景照片。随后，他深入中国内地和台湾，行程五千多英里与中国社会进行了广泛的接触。当时他使用的是湿版法，需要携带大批器材，因此雇用了八个背负笨重照相器材的“苦役”。从香港启程，经过广州、台湾、汕头、厦门、福州、上海、宁波、南京等地，然后沿长江溯流而上，直到贵州。以后又北上，到达天津和北京，游览了南口和长城等名胜古迹。

1871年汤姆逊前往厦门时遇见了马雅各（James Maxwell, 1835-1921），马雅各是位医师，同样来自苏格兰，1865年苏格兰长老教会派遣马雅各到台湾传教。此时，两位苏格兰同乡在厦门相遇借由马雅各的描述，汤姆逊知道了很多关于台湾资讯，随后他决定随同马雅各来台湾考察拍摄。

1873年他的著名专辑《中国和中国人》（Illustrations of China and Its People）在英国伦敦出版，此书共四册，收录了223张图片，珂罗版（Collotype）印制，成为当今研究中国历史影像的工具书。 >>返回>>