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I. W. Wells
Salon No. 3

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Christ Carrying His Cross By I. W. Wells, 1862 Pyrography on unframed wood panel, 33 cm. tall by 25 cm. wide (13 in. tall by 10 in. wide) Image thanks to the owner

Christ Carrying His Cross, verso, detail of the signature By I. W. Wells, 1862 Inscription, verso, reads: Wells. Pyrographer. 1862 Pyrography on unframed wood panel, approximately 33 cm. tall by 25 cm. wide (13 in. tall by 10 in. wide) Image thanks to the owner

Regarding the provenance of this lovely early work believed to be by I. W. Wells, the owner Sallyanne Hajaj, in the U.K., says that it was owned by her father previously, and her uncle before that, she believes, since he was a collector of art and antiques.

Note that the artist's name inscribed in burning on this panel is quite distinct from the ones from 1876 and 1877, because of its elaborate calligraphy with flourishes.

There is also an 1866 Wells work, called "Waiting for the Plough," exhibited in the famous Pinto Collection in Birmingham, England.

A picture of that Wells work can be seen in the companion book that was written by Edward and Eva Pinto, the original owners of that work and of about 19 others that were acquired by the Birmingham Museums and today form the Pinto Collection there. Four works in pyrography are on display at the web site of the Pinto Collection in Birmingham, England, although not their work by I. W. Wells.

Susan Millis, who is studying for an advanced degree in the conservation and restoration of pyrographic works in the U.K., has studied at length and under magnification the works in the Pinto Collection. She is encouraged that this 1862 Wells work, "Christ Carrying His Cross" displayed here, could well be by the same artist who did the 1866 panel "Waiting for the Plough" that is in Birmingham, England.

Notes on that important collection, including on I. W. Wells, were given by Susan Millis in an interview for Pyrograffiti at the link here.

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Three additional works by I. W. Wells were discovered since the one entitled "Wait a Wee" was exhibited here in the E-Museum. The only one that has been added to the E-Museum is the one entitled The Deadly Combat and now this one of "Christ Carrying His Cross." Two others, for which we do not yet have images, are entitled "Suspense," which also dates from 1876 (like "Wait a Wee" displayed in the E-Museum), and another entitled "Panic Struck at his own shadow." Thanks to the artist's noting not only the date but the place as 'Avondale, Penn.' on the panel "Suspense," it has now been clarified that the first one, "Wait a Wee," which is displayed here, originated in Avondale, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., not Avondale, England in the U.K.

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If you have either any questions or any additional information to offer about I. W. Wells or this panel by him, please e-mail Sallyanne Hajaj and the E-Museum Curator.

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