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Joseph Smith
Salon No. 2

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The Nightmare By Joseph Smith, England, c.1820 Pokerwork on wood panel, 10 in. by 11 in. (unframed) After the 1781 oil painting by Swiss-born English artist Henry Fuseli (aka Johann Heinrich Fussli) (1741–1825) Digital image thanks to Shaban Munir

The Nightmare, detail of the woman's face and arm By Joseph Smith, England, c.1820 Poker work on wood panel, 10 in. by 11 in. (unframed) After the 1781 oil painting by Swiss-born English artist Henry Fuseli (aka Johann Heinrich Fussli) (1741–1825) Digital image thanks to Shaban Munir

The Nightmare, detail of the draping By Joseph Smith, England, c.1820 Poker work on wood panel, 10 in. by 11 in. (unframed) After the 1781 oil painting by Swiss-born English artist Henry Fuseli (aka Johann Heinrich Fussli) (1741–1825) Digital image thanks to Shaban Munir

The Nightmare, detail of the horse By Joseph Smith, England, c.1820 Poker work on wood panel, 10 in. by 11 in. (unframed) After the 1781 oil painting by Swiss-born English artist Henry Fuseli (aka Johann Heinrich Fussli) (1741–1825) Digital image thanks to Shaban Munir

The Nightmare, detail of the table By Joseph Smith, England, c.1820 Poker work on wood panel, 10 in. by 11 in. (unframed) After the 1781 oil painting by Swiss-born English artist Henry Fuseli (aka Johann Heinrich Fussli) (1741–1825) Digital image thanks to Shaban Munir

The Nightmare, detail of the goblin (or demon) By Joseph Smith, England, c.1820 Poker work on wood panel, 10 in. by 11 in., unframed After the 1781 oil painting by Swiss-born English artist Henry Fuseli (aka Johann Heinrich Fussli) (1741–1825) Digital image thanks to Shaban Munir

The Nightmare, partial view, close up By Joseph Smith, England, c.1820 Poker work on wood panel, 10 in. by 11 in. (unframed) After the 1781 oil painting by Swiss-born English artist Henry Fuseli (aka Johann Heinrich Fussli) (1741–1825) Digital image thanks to Shaban Munir

In England, Shaban Munir acquired this lovely old work and has been researching its provenance. What is readily apparent is that it was done after the famous painting by Henry Fuseli entitled The Nightmare.

According to pyrographic art conservator Susan Millis, who is studying the piece—among other things to verify the signature and date—this work is probably by Joseph Smith because of its similarities in technique and appearance to the 1810 full-length portrait by him of John Jeffreys (after a painting by Hoppner) in the Pinto Collection in the Birmingham Museum in England. The article The Pinto Collection: Important 19th C. Pyrographic Artists highlights research and notes by Susan Millis on that collection.

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If you have either any questions or any information regarding this Joseph Smith work or others by this artist, please e-mail Shaban Munir, Susan Millis, and the E-Museum Curator.

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