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The Monk By Ball Hughes, Dorchester, c. 1865 After a photograph entitled The Monk Poker work on wood plaque, initialed B.H. on lower right front corner 14 in. by 20 in. (without the frame) After an 1856 photograph by William Lake Price (1810–1896) Digital image thanks to the Brown family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Monk,detail By Ball Hughes, c. 1865 Poker work on wood plaque, 14 in. by 20 in. (without the frame) Digital image thanks to the Brown family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Monk By Ball Hughes, Dorchester, c. 1865 After a photograph entitled The Monk Poker work on wood panel, initialed B.H. on lower right front corner 14 in. by 20 in. (without the frame) Digital image thanks to Diana Berard

The Monk Pyroengraved inscription on the back of the plaque By Ball Hughes (1806—1868) Poker work on wood plaque, 14 in. by 20 in. (without the frame) Inscription on the back reads: This Picture was burned with a red hot Poker expressly to the order of B. F. Brown, Esq. From the celebrated Photograph of the Monk. Ball Hughes. Fecit" Writing on paper affixed to panel reads: "Property of my son, George E. Brown, August 4, 1890." Digital image thanks to Diana Berard

The Monk Detail of the face By Ball Hughes, c. 1865 Poker work on wood panel, 14 in. by 20 in. (without the frame) Digital image thanks to Diana Berard

The Monk Detail of the figure's left hand By Ball Hughes, c. 1865 Poker work on wood panel, 14 in. by 20 in. (without the frame) Digital image thanks to Diana Berard

The Monk Detail of the lower left portion of the panel By Ball Hughes, c. 1860 Poker work on wood panel, 14 in. by 20 in. (without the frame) Digital image thanks to Diana Berard

The Monk By Ball Hughes, c. 1865 Poker work on wood panel, 14 in. by 20 in. (without the frame) After an 1856 photograph by William Lake Price (1810–1896) Digital image thanks to Diana Berard

The Brown Family inherited the above signed but undated piece from their father.

It is known to be a piece by Robert Ball Hughes, the famous 19th century pyrographic artist, engraver, and sculptor. The provenance is directly through the Brown family, who is related to Ball Hughes through marriage: Ball Hughes' daughter Augusta Ball Hughes married B. F. Brown, who in turn gave the piece to his son George E. Brown. Perhaps to assure its remaining in the family, B. F. Brown later pasted a paper on the back (below the pyroengraved inscription as can be observed above) saying "Property of my son, George E. Brown, August 4, 1890."

Later this beautiful piece went down through the family from George E. Brown to R. L. (Robert?) Brown, Rudolph Henry Brown, and finally to Richard Henry Brown, whose children have now inherited it.

The following is from a 1976 letter written by Mrs. Marjorie Brown from her own research on the famous Brown ancestor [curator's note: Name changed from Margaret Brown thanks to information provided by Dave Brown's web site] :

"Part of an obituary write-up at the time of Ball Hughes's death reads: 'Within a few years of his death, he amused himself by burning most wonderful pictures on wood, and such was the demand for them that the work of a few hours was willingly paid for by sums of $100. And $200. Many sought for them but could not obtain them and after Mr. Hughes's death, fabulous sums were offered for them. Henshaw D. Ward Esq. [could it have been instead D. Henshaw Ward?] and the artist's son-in-law, B. F. Brown have the best specimens of this unique art. His remains are in Cedar Grove Cemetery' [see Mount Auburn Cemetery, Dorchester, Mass.]"

Since the Ball Hughes pyroengraving of The Monk was highlighted in "Pyrograffiti 30", published in the September–October 2004 issue of the Woodcarvers Online Magazine, the source of the photograph that Ball Hughes noted in his inscription (shown in one of the images above) has been discovered thanks to Susan Millis, who is the featured artist and conservator of that same issue.

Undaunted by the opinion of one museum expert in Washington, D.C., who had told Kelly Brown, the owner (prior to the publication of that article), that despite Ball Hughes' inscription, his pyrography was probably done after a painting rather than after a photograph, Susan Millis did research on possible early photographers. Thinking she might have discovered a likely one, Susan proceeded personally to review the photographic archives at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London where she came upon the exact photograph to which Ball Hughes had referred. It was an award-winning photograph in the 1856 London Photographic Society done by William Lake Price (1810–1896). It seems likely that Ball Hughes had access to a wood engraving by Henry Linton illustrating that famous photograph for the article that was published in the March 1856 edition of The Illustrated London News.

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If you have any questions or any information regarding this work or others by Ball Hughes, please e-mail Kelly Brown and the E-Museum Curator.

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