He taught at Harvard University and Courtald Institute, London, travelled to India and China to study cave paintings.
Thompson is best known for the definitive English translation of Cennino D'Andrea Cennini's Il libro dell'arte (The Craftsman's Handbook).
Key to his translation work was replicating much of Cennini's craft instructions himself and with his students.
Thompson's overview of his subject is his The Materials and Techniques of Medieval Painting (reprint Dover, 1956).
For a bibliography of 18 publications by Thompson on the subject of medieval and renaissance artists' recipe books see Clarke, M The Art of All Colours London: Archetype, 2001 pp.