CHINA AND SIAM EARLY PHOTOGRAPHY

Heather
Thomson with two Manchu Soldiers, Xiamen, Fujian in 1871. Thomson rarely appeared in his own photographs, he is seen here in Amoy (Xiamen) which was then on the southern frontier of the Qing empire. By juxtaposing himself with the Manchu soldiers, he was possibly trying to show that the city had fallen into the hands of outsiders: The Manchu and the Europeans. In 1842, the Qing government were forced to grant the British the right to trade freely in Amoy, but continued to station its own army there. All images courtesy Wellcome Library, London

The first London exhibition devoted to the Scottish photographer John Thomson (1837-1921) and his photography in Asia is currently on view from 13 April to 23 June at the Brunei Gallery at SOAS. Thomson’s photography of China, Siam (Thailand) and Cambodia was widely praised by his peers and continues to enthuse new audiences today. These 150-year-old images were discovered at the Wellcome Library, London.

John Thomson was a Scottish photographer and writer who set off for Asia in 1862. Over the next 10 years he undertook numerous journeys photographing countries including Siam, Cambodia and various provinces of China.  Photographs from these journeys form one of the most extensive records of any region taken in the 19th century.  The range, depth and aesthetic quality of John Thomson’s vision mark him out as one of the most important travel photographers.

John Thomson’s Journey East

Thomson travelled east as a professional photographer only two decades after the invention of photography. Working with the wet collodion process he travelled with cumbersome crates, glass negatives, a portable dark room, as well as highly flammable and poisonous chemicals.  It took sheer perseverance and energy, through difficult terrain, to document regions where previously unseen by Westerners. It is particularly remarkable that Thomson was able to make photographs of such beauty and sensitivity.

In Siam

In Siam, Thomson was able to photograph King Mongkut Rama IV, his royal family and entourage, together with royal ceremonies such as the tonsurate ceremony and the presentation of the Lenten robes. Thomson’s panoramic views of the Chao Phraya River, temples and monks, dancers and musicians, are a unique historical treasure.  In Cambodia, Thomson was the first photographer to visit Angkor Wat to record, what is now, one of the most important sites of ancient architecture in the world.

In China

Between 1868 and 1872, Thomson made extensive trips to Beijing, Fujian and Guangdong travelling down both the Yangtse and the Min Rivers.  In China, Thomson captured a wide variety of subjects from landscapes to people, architecture, domestic and street scenes.  As a foreigner, Thomson’s ability to gain access to photograph women was particularly remarkable. Whether photographing the rich and famous or people in the streets going about their business, Thomson’s desire was to present a faithful account of the people of Asia.  This body of work established him as a pioneer of photojournalism and one of the most influential photographers of his time.

His collection of 700 glass plates travelled back with Thomson to Britain in 1872 and since 1921 has been housed and expertly preserved at the Wellcome Library, London.  These 150-year-old glass negatives are in excellent condition allowing this exhibition to showcase very large, in some cases life-size, prints.   The photographs are exhibited alongside a selection of Chinese Qing-dynasty robes, textiles and a selection of Siamese court objects.

China and Siam early photography, 13 April to 23 June at Brunei Gallery, SOAS, University of London, soas.ac.uk. More on johnthomsonexhibition.org/blog

  • Nankou Pass, Beijing 1871-72 Nankou Pass or the southern entry, is situated in Changping county in the suburb of Beijing. Sandwiched between two high mountains, it has been of strategic importance throughout history. From here one can see the first spur of the Great Wall. The Pass is very rocky and rough and for centuries, donkeys were the beasts of burden traders used for transporting goods through and beyond the Pass.
  • H.M. King Mongkut, King Rama IV, Bangkok, 1865. Portrait of the King taken outside the Aphinao Niwet Throne Hall within the Grand Palace on Monday, 6th October 1865. His Majesty is shown in a full frontal pose in the uniform of a French Field Marshall and wearing the sash of the Legion d’Honneur and star First Class, a decoration presented to him on behalf of Emperor Napoleon III by Admiral Bonard, Commander of the Fleet in Indochina, in the Ananta Samakom Throne Hall on 10th May 1863. On the table are various items of regalia in gold and enamel, namely an oval box adorned with gemstones upon a pedestal tray, a gold ewer on a pedestal tray, a spittoon and a woolen cap embroidered with gold thread in the French style. There is also a small telescope, perhaps in reference to the King’s interest in Western science and astronomy.
  • Oarsman, Petchaburi, Thailand 1865. During this period waterborne transport was very popular and many new canals were dug. Settlements grew up along waterways as can been seen in Thomson’s panoramas of Bangkok. In particular, where canals entered the main river, markets would develop. The major canals dug by Chinese labourers in this reign were Padung Krung Kasem, Hualampong, Maha Sawat and Pasi Charoen. These were able to take steam boats carrying rice and served as a means of public transport. The boatman strikes a dramatic pose and is dressed in the typical fashion of an ordinary person of the period. He is bare-chested and he wears simple cotton jonggraben and a pakaoma cotton belt.
  • Panorama of the Chao Phraya River and Tarranakosin Island from the prang of Wat Arun, Bangkok 1865. This photograph shows Rattanakosin island and the Chao Phraya River as they were 150 years ago. Traditional wooden and floating houses can be seen lining the river bank, beginning at the Grand Palace and running south as far as Pak Klong Talad. In front of what today is a land-based fruit and vegetable market are a multitude of small boats plying their trade.
  • Thomson with two Manchu Soldiers, Xiamen, Fujian in 1871. Thomson rarely appeared in his own photographs, he is seen here in Amoy (Xiamen) which was then on the southern frontier of the Qing empire. By juxtaposing himself with the Manchu soldiers, he was possibly trying to show that the city had fallen into the hands of outsiders: The Manchu and the Europeans. In 1842, the Qing government were forced to grant the British the right to trade freely in Amoy, but continued to station its own army there. All images courtesy Wellcome Library, London