[Mountain and Rice Fields] 1869

John Thomson's 1869 photograph, "Mountain and Rice Fields," is a striking example of the photographer's work documenting landscapes of Southeast Asia. The image captures the dramatic beauty of a steep mountain, its rocky face partially obscured by a canopy of trees, with rice paddies cascading down its slopes. The clear lines of the terraces and the starkness of the mountain contrast with the softer tones of the foliage, creating a visually captivating composition. This photograph, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, serves as a testament to the power of photography to document the natural world with striking clarity.