Thomas Smillie

Thomas Smillie
Born Thomas William Smillie
(1843-04-15)April 15, 1843
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Died March 7, 1917(1917-03-07) (aged 73)
Known for Photography

Thomas William Smillie (April 15, 1843 – March 7, 1917) was a Scottish-American photographer and archivist. He served as the first official photographer of the Smithsonian Institution, as well as the first "honorary curator" of the Smithsonian's photography collection. [1]

Early life

Smillie was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, but moved to the United States with his family at age five. He eventually attended Georgetown University as a student in medicine and chemistry.[2]

Career

Smillie was named the official photographer for the Smithsonian in 1871.[3] Additionally, upon the creation of the Section of Photography at the Smithsonian in 1896, Smillie was named "honorary curator"; he would hold both positions until his death in 1917.[4]

One of Smillie's interests was in preserving the history of photography. His initial purchases for the Section of Photography included a camera and equipment owned by Samuel Morse. In 1913, Smillie curated the Smithsonian's first-ever photography exhibition.[5]

Smillie photographed the Solar eclipse of May 28, 1900.

References

  1. ↑ "Smithsonian Institution". Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. Routledge. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  2. ↑ "Who was the Smithsonian's first staff photographer?". Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Celebrating 120 Years of the Smithsonian's Photographic History Collection". Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Smithsonian Institution". Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Photography. Routledge. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Smithsonian's First Photographer". Retrieved September 7, 2016.
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