John Thomson King Mongkut (King Rama IV) in the uniform of a French Field Marshall – Art Blart

Exhibition dates: 21st October 2023 – 14th April 2024

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
A Siamese monk holding a fan
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

A bridge between past and present

An Easter Monday posting.

Magnificent large format photographs of the landscape and people of Siam (now Thailand), just two decades after the invention of photography. The photographs give “us a glimpse into some characteristics of people and places of Siam in the 1860s.”

In the portrait photographs the engagement revealed by the photographer of the subject with the camera lens is masterful. To elicit this response from people unused to posing in front of a large, bulky camera shows how the photographer must have been empathetic to his subjects and put them at their ease with the process of having their photograph taken.

The subjects are not apprehensive of the camera. The images show them directly: composed, reserved, non-declamatory and possessing a powerful presence. The exchange between subject and photographer evidences a direct line of communication with the sitter.

The eyes of A Siamese boy (1865, below) drill into mine and I feel a profound engagement with his questioning gaze. I am pierced by his gaze … which forces me to confront my own identity, and mortality.

As a viewer of these human beings all these decades later (a bridge between past and present), it’s as if I could reach out and touch their humanity. Their soul.

Dr Marcus Bunyan

Many thankx to the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum for allowing me to publish the photographs in the posting. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.

In the mid-19th century, John Thomson arrived in Siam with a fairly new invention of those days photography….

Step back in time and immerse yourself in the wonders of 19th-century Southeast Asia as seen through the lens of the intrepid adventurer and photographer, John Thomson. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum is proud to present an enchanting new exhibition Siam: Through the Lens of John Thomson on display from 21 October 2023 to 14 April 2024, inviting visitors to embark on a captivating journey through time and space. This extraordinary showcase offers a unique glimpse into the captivating landscapes, diverse cultures, and fascinating history of Southeast Asia.

A British photographer with an exceptional eye for detail, Thomson embarked on a groundbreaking journey to Siam during the late Victorian era, with a fairly new invention in those days: photography, capturing scenes that had been scarcely witnessed before in the Western world. Throughout his remarkable career, Thomson ventured into uncharted territories and documented the exotic beauty and cultural richness of Thailand and Cambodia in stunning detail. Featuring dramatic images developed from negatives preserved in London’s Wellcome Collection, this exhibition introduces the sights and people of nineteenth-century Thailand and Cambodia as witnessed by Thomson first hand. In this new exhibition, visitors to the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum will have the privilege of witnessing many meticulously preserved photographs taken by Thomson during his travels, carefully curated to provide an insightful narrative of his exploration. Each image tells a story of its own, serving as a bridge between the past and the present, enabling visitors to forge a deeper connection with the cultures and history of Thailand and Cambodia.

Text from the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum website

Siam Through the Lens of John Thomson, 1865-66: In-Focus audio tour with Jo O’Rourke when the exhibition was at Chester Beatty

This exhibition gives us a glimpse into some characteristics of people and places of Siam in the 1860s. We are guided through a wonderful collection of images taken with great sensitivity by one of the pioneers of photojournalism John Thomson (1837-1921).

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
The Chao Phraya River and Rattanakosin Island from the Prang of Wat Arun
1865
Panorama of three photographs from a glass photonegatives, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
King Mongkut (King Rama IV) in the uniform of a French Field Marshall
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

“A shrill blast of horns heralded the approach of the King and caused us hastily to descend into the court,” Thomson wrote of the occasion. “His Majesty entered through a massive gateway, and I must confess that I felt much impressed by his appearance, as I had never been in the presence of an anointed sovereign before. He stood about five feet eight inches, and his figure was erect and commanding; but an expression of severe gravity was settled on his somewhat haggard face. His dress was a robe of spotless white, which reached right down to his feet; his head was bare.

“All was prepared beneath a space in the court when, just as I was about to take the photograph, His Majesty changed his mind, and without a word to anyone, passed suddenly out of sight. We patiently waited, and at length the King reappeared, dressed this time in a sort of French Field Marshal’s uniform. The portrait was a great success, and His Majesty afterwards sat in his court robes, requesting me to place him where and how I pleased.”

In the photo of the King in the field marshal’s regalia, he wears the sash of the Legion d’honneur and the Star First Class presented to him on behalf of Emperor Napoleon III by the admiral of the French fleet in Indochina. On a side able rests a small telescope, reflecting the king’s interest in astronomy and its Western means of study.

Anonymous. “How the world first saw Siam,” on The Nation website Thursday January 22nd, 2015 [Online] Cited 14/03/2024

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
King Mongkut (King Rama IV) in state attire
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Prince Chulalongkorn
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

Prince Chulalongkorn, subsequently King Chulalongkorn (1853-1910), aged 12 years, wearing a top-knot, fine traditional Thai clothes and jewellery. Standing in a courtyard of the Grand Palace, Bangkok, between an ornamental table and an urn.

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Royal Barge Anantanakkharat / A Royal Barge Procession marks the Buddhist Kathin festival on Oct. 14, 1865
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Offering lunch to Buddhist monks
1865-1866
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Khon and Lakhon troupe
1865-1866
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
A white elephant belonging to King Mongkut
1865-1866
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Siam (Thailand)
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
A Siamese boy
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Portrait of a princess with her maidservant (possibly a daughter of Prince Nilarat, Prince of Alongkot Kitpreecha)
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

Step back in time and immerse yourself in the wonders of 19th-century Southeast Asia as seen through the lens of the intrepid adventurer and photographer, John Thomson. The Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum is proud to present an enchanting new exhibition Siam: Through the Lens of John Thomson on display from 21 October 2023 to 14 April 2024, inviting visitors to embark on a captivating journey through time and space. This extraordinary showcase offers a unique glimpse into the captivating landscapes, diverse cultures, and fascinating history of Southeast Asia, as captured by the illustrious Scottish Victorian photographer, John Thomson.

A Scottish photographer with an exceptional eye for detail, Thomson embarked on a groundbreaking journey to Siam during the late Victorian era, with a fairly new invention in those days: photography, capturing scenes that had been scarcely witnessed before in the Western world. Throughout his remarkable career, Thomson ventured into uncharted territories and documented the exotic beauty and cultural richness of Thailand and Cambodia in stunning detail. His evocative photographs offer an invaluable historical record and a testament to his artistic sensibility and his photographic vision marks him out as one of history’s most important travel photographers.

The founders of the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Merton and Annie Russell-Cotes travelled extensively in their lifetime, bringing back crates full of ‘objets d’art’,as Merton described them in his memoirs. These were to fill almost every room of the house alongside Merton’s vast art collection and, in some cases, inspired the Russell-Cotes to alter and adapt rooms to a particular theme. As they visited almost every continent during their grand worldwide tours, it is only fitting that this exhibition works in collaboration with the vast collections from around the world on display at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum today. Annie and Merton witnessed similar scenes to John Thomson, but chose to collect objects, rather than images.

Featuring dramatic images developed from negatives preserved in London’s Wellcome Collection, this exhibition introduces the sights and people of nineteenth-century Thailand and Cambodia as witnessed by Thomson first hand. In this new exhibition, visitors to the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum will have the privilege of witnessing many meticulously preserved photographs taken by Thomson during his travels, carefully curated to provide an insightful narrative of his exploration. Each image tells a story of its own, serving as a bridge between the past and the present, enabling visitors to forge a deeper connection with the cultures and history of Thailand and Cambodia.

The photographs on display encompass a diverse range of subjects, including awe-inspiring temples, architectural marvels, picturesque landscapes, and enchanting portraits of everyday life, ceremonies royalty, tradition, and customs. Each photograph serves as a testament to Thomson’s skill as a storyteller, highlighting the allurement of these distant lands. Thomson also received special permission to visit Angkor Wat (then under Siam’s control), becoming the first to photograph its famous ruins.

He used the wet-collodion process as his method for taking photographs, so called because an exposure was made onto a glass negative. His process had to be carried out in complete darkness, requiring a portable darkroom tent and a large amount of equipment. He travelled around Siam with many crates of glass negatives and bottles of potentially harmful chemicals, which was remarkable considering the difficult terrain and unfamiliar regions he often visited. Despite these challenges, Thomson was able to capture the natural beauty of the land as well as the daily lives of the people he encountered. His style has been described as “photo-journalistic,” a term which acknowledges his ability to capture authentic and natural moments through his photography.

In addition to the captivating photographs, the exhibition will also feature informative panels, present day photographs and an exciting calendar of insightful talks and workshops. Visitors will have the opportunity to engage with historical context of the time and gain insights into Thomson’s wet collodion photography methods and techniques to understand the cultural significance of his work in Southeast Asia and the world of photography.

Press release from Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Phra Chom Klao Bridge, Phetchaburi River
1865-1866

The Phra Chom Klao bridge over the Phetchaburi river.

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
The wife of the Prime Minister (Kralahom) of Siam
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Siamese boatman
1865
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain

John Thomson (Scottish, 1837-1921)
Face-towers of the Bayon temple, Angkor Wat
1866
Photograph from a glass photonegative, wet collodion
Public domain