A younger brother of
John Thompson, he was born in London. He was a pupil of
John Bewick and
Allen Robert Branston, and became a wood-engraver In 1816 Thompson found work in Paris, where he executed illustrations to many publications. His work was admired, and in 1824 he was awarded a gold medal. He introduced into France the English method of carving the end of the wood, instead of in the direction of the grain, and using the
graver instead of the knife. Thompson died at
Bourg-la-Reine, near Paris, on 19 May 1843, and his widow was granted a pension by the French government. ==Works==