Early Photography Archive

Name: Early Photography Archive
Creator: Analog Photo Today
License: Open-access data is CC0; public-domain images are served via IIIF links without redistribution.

The Early Photography Archive presents public-domain photographs from the Art Institute of Chicago photography and media collection, with artist, process and dating context, drawn from the CC0 API and refreshed monthly. Every record links the museum page and adds technique family, origin region and era labels from our pipeline.

Records: 4,070
Last changed: 09/02/2026
Update schedule: 27 5 2 * * UTC
Coverage: 03/03/2026–09/02/2026
Method: Methodology

Photograph	Artist	Date	Technique	Origin	On view
A Canton Trading Junk	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Front of Kwan-Yin Temple, Hong-Kong; A Mendicant Priest; A Street in Hong-Kong; Opium-Smoking in a Restaurant	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
A Whiff of the Opium Pipe at Home; After Dinner; Reading for Honours; The Toilet	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Four Heads, Types of the Labouring Class	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Hoi-How, the Proposed New Treaty Port, Island of Hainan	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Jui-Lin, Governor-General of the Two Kwang Provinces	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Tartar Soldiers	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
A Canton Lady; The Lady's Maid; A Bride and Bridegroom	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
The Old Factory Site, Canton	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
The British Consular Yamun, Canton	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
A Canton Pawn Shop; Honam Temple, Canton; Temple of Five Hundred Gods, Canton; The Abbot of the Temple	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Tea-Picking in Canton	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Physic Street, Canton	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Rolling Scented Caper and Gunpowder Teas; Weighing Tea for Exportation; A Tea House, Canton; A Tea-Tasting Room, Canton	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
A Cantonese Gentleman; A Cantonese Gentleman; Schroffing Dollars; Reeling Silk	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
A Mountain Pass in Formosa	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Bamboos at Baksa, Formosa	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Pepohoan Female Head; Pepohoan Female Head; Pepohoan Female Head; Pepohoan Female Head; Pepohoan Male Head; Pepohoan Male Head	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
A Pepohoan Dwelling	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Pepohoan Women; Mode of Carrying Child; Costume of Baksa Women; Lakoli	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
A Country Road near Taiwanfu; A Catamaran; Chain Pumps; Rock Inscriptions, Amoy	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Swatow	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
A Pagoda near Chao-Chowfu	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Chao-Chow-Fu Bridge	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Cantonese Boy; Cantonese Merchant; Mongolian Male Head; A Venerable Head; A Labourer; Mongolian Male Head	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Headdress of Cantonese Girl; Winter Headdress; Coiffure of Swatow Woman; Coiffure of Swatow Woman; Coiffure of Ningpo Woman; Coiffure of Shanghai Woman	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Actors, Ancient Marriage Costume; Actors, Ancient Marriage Costume; Ancient Costumes	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Island of Kulangsu	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Amoy Harbour	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Amoy Women; The Small Foot of a Chinese Lady; Amoy Men; Male and Female Costume, Amoy	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Foochow Arsenal	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Foochow Foreign Settlement	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Yuenfu Monastery	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
The Abbot and Monks of Kushan	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Old Junks	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Part of Foochow Foreign Settlement; Terracing Hills; Foochow Field Women; A Memorial Arch	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Foochow Coolies; A Foochow Detective; The Chief of Thieves; Beggars Living in a Tour	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
The Sedan; A Military Officer; The Plough; A North China Pony	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Fruit	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
The Tea Plant; The Tea Plant; Yenping Rapids; A Small Rapid Boat	John Thomson Scottish, 1837–1921	c. 1868	other	Europe	false
Untitled (Portrait of a Woman in Profile)	Unknown maker American, 19th century	1863	photography	Americas	false
Untitled	Georgina Cowper, attributed English, mid 19th century	1863	printing_dyeing photography	Europe	false
Untitled	Georgina Cowper, attributed English, mid 19th century	1863	printing_dyeing photography	Europe	false
Untitled	Georgina Cowper, attributed English, mid 19th century	1863	printing_dyeing photography	Europe	false
Untitled	Georgina Cowper, attributed English, mid 19th century	1863	other	Europe	false
General Post-Office, Army of the Potomac	Timothy O'Sullivan American, born Ireland, 1840–1882	December 1863	printing_dyeing photography	Americas	false
Untitled (Portrait of a Seated Man)	Mathew B. Brady American, 1823–1896	1862	photography	Americas	false
Untitled (Portrait of a Child on a Rocking Horse)	Alexander Hesler American, born Canada, 1823-1895	1862	photography	Americas	false
Untitled (Portrait of Woman Holding a Baby)	Unknown maker American, 19th century	1862	photography	Americas	false
Untitled (Portrait of a Seated Man with Sabre)	Samuel J. Miller American, 1822–1888	1862	photography	Americas	false