John Thomson (1856 – 1940): Pioneer of Victorian Photography Sir Joseph John Thomson, a British physicist whose groundbreaking research fundamentally reshaped our understanding of matter and electricity, stands as an unlikely figure to inspire the artistic movement that would come to define the early 20th century—the Group of Seven. Yet, his meticulous observation and masterful manipulation of photographic processes profoundly impacted the visual landscape of his time and subtly influenced subsequent generations of artists striving for realism and emotional depth. Born in Melbourne, Australi…