Charles T. Scowen facts for kids

Self-portrait, around 1880.

Charles Thomas Scowen (born March 11, 1852 – died November 24, 1948) was a talented British photographer. He lived a long time ago, in the 1800s. He was known for his amazing pictures of places and people.

Charles Scowen took photos for about 20 years, from 1871 to 1890. He worked in beautiful countries like Sri Lanka and British India.

Who Was Charles Scowen?

Charles Thomas Scowen was born in England in 1852. He grew up to become a very important photographer. His work helped people see what life was like in faraway lands.

His Photography Career

Scowen started his own photo business. By 1876, he had a studio called Scowen & Co. in a city called Kandy in Sri Lanka. Later, in the 1890s, he opened another studio in Colombo.

What Made His Photos Special?

Charles Scowen's photos were very special. He took pictures of amazing landscapes, which are natural scenes like mountains or forests. He also took portraits of people, including women from Malaysia.

People loved his photos for a few reasons:

• He used light in a very clever way. This made his pictures look bright and clear.
• His prints were technically superior. This means the printed photos looked very high quality.
• He had strong compositional qualities. This means he arranged everything in his pictures perfectly.

Where Are His Photos Today?

Charles Scowen's photographs are so important that many famous art museums keep them. These museums want to show his work to everyone.

Some of the places where you can find his photos include:

• The J. Paul Getty Museum
• The Yale University Art Gallery
• The Art Institute of Chicago
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Life After Photography

After his photography career, Charles Scowen changed jobs. He became a tea planter, which means he grew tea plants. Later, when he was older, he retired. He moved back to England, where he was born.

Charles Scowen lived a very long life. He passed away in Sudbury, Suffolk, England, when he was 96 years old.

Gallery

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  People in Ceylon, around the 1870s

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  A beautiful landscape in Ceylon, around the 1870s

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  An Orchid flower called Cattleya Trianae, Ceylon, 1870s

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  The blossom and fruit of a coffee tree. Photo by Scowen and company.

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  Giant Bamboo growing by the water, Ceylon, around 1875–1880