William John Thomson

William John Thomson  (1771–1845) was an American-born painter of silhouettes, portraits and miniatures who was active in Great Britain.

Early life
Thomson was born in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, on 3 October 1771 to Scottish parents, Alexander Thomson and Mary Elizabeth Thomson née Spencer. Thomson's first sister Margaret was born in 1773, his second sister born in 1775 was Catherine Thomson,  later the stepmother of Elizabeth Gaskell. They migrated to England during the war of independence. His brother born in Edinburgh in 1778 was Anthony Todd Thomson the doctor who had delivered Gaskell. He moved to London and learned to paint. He exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1795. He married Helen J Colhoun in Edinburgh 12 May 1797, her portrait with their son held by the Royal Scottish Academy and shown in the Art UK website is shown below. He was considered for election to the Royal Academy in 1808 In 1812 he moved back to his ancestral home of Scotland and settled in Edinburgh. About 1817 he marries Ann Mculloch. The two marriages produce six children.

Painting style
Thomson worked in a solemn, realistic, somewhat simplified style, devoid of the affectation that often characterised the work of his contemporaries. His subjects face slightly to the right; their features are emphatically delineated, the left eye appearing overly large. A pink tonality suffuses the paintings, reddish brown shading models the forms and brown hatching often makes up the background. Thomson was a miniaturist of very great eminence, although he sometimes exercised his talents on large portraits and small full-lengths. To accuracy of execution he added great richness of effect, preciousness of finish, and depth of tone.

Latter years
He became a prominent figure in the artistic life of Scotland, holding a variety of official positions. He exhibited portraits, miniatures, landscapes and genre paintings. On 7 October 1829 he was elected academician of Royal Scottish Academy and is shown on their alphabetical list.  In 1831 as trustee to the estate of Hugh William Williams (Artist) along with Mrs Robina Williams, Aeneas MacBain WS, he organised a studio sale. In June 1832 he painted a miniature of his step neice Elizabeth Gaskell (née Stevenson) author of Cranford. He lived at 47 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh in the 1830s until he died in 1845 He is buried at St John's Episcopal graveyard in Edinburgh. The memorial to his parents and grandparents is in Cannongate Churchyard.

Examples of his miniaturist and portraiture work

Further reading
 The Royal Scottish Academy, 1826–1916. A complete list of exhibited works.
 British Miniaturists by Basil Somerset Long. 1929.
 The Royal Scottish Academy exhibitors 1826–1990. A dictionary of artists.
 Profiles of the Past: William John Thomson
 Art UK: William John Thomson
 Philip Mould Historical Portraits Image Library
 Ellison Fine Art: fine portrait miniature specialist
 Wiki Tree Ancestry

References

Category:1771 births
Category:1845 deaths
Category:19th-century Scottish painters
Category:Scottish portrait painters
Category:Portrait miniaturists