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Joseph Smith
Salon No. 3

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Untitled, Face of Christ with the Crown of Thorns By Joseph Smith, England, 1821 Pokerwork on wood panel, approximately 8.5 in. by 10.5 in. (unframed) Digitally enhanced and retouched to facilitate viewing After the oil painting by TBD Digital image thanks to the owner

Untitled, Face of Christ with the Crown of Thorns, Back of the piece showing metal bars for reinforcement By Joseph Smith, England, 1821 Poker work on wood panel, approximately 8.5 in. by 10.5 in. (unframed) Digitally enhanced to facilitate viewing After the oil painting by TBD Digital image thanks to the owner

Untitled, Face of Christ with the Crown of Thorns, Detail of the Signature and Date on the back of the panel: Smith, Pyrographist, 1821 By Joseph Smith, England, 1821 Pokerwork on wood panel, approximately 8.5 in. by 10.5 in. (unframed) Digitally enhanced to facilitate viewing After the oil painting by TBD Digital image thanks to the owner

Untitled, Face of Christ with the Crown of Thorns, Detail of the Date: 1821 By Joseph Smith, England, 1821 Poker work on wood panel, approximately 8.5 in. by 10.5 in. (unframed) Digitally enhanced to facilitate viewing After the oil painting by TBD Digital image thanks to the owner

Untitled, Face of Christ with the Crown of Thorns, Partial view, close up By Joseph Smith, England, 1821 Pokerwork on wood panel, approximately 8.5 in. by 10.5 in. (unframed) Digitally enhanced to facilitate viewing After the oil painting by TBD Digital image thanks to the owner

Untitled, Face of Christ with the Crown of Thorns, Partial view, close up By Joseph Smith, England, 1821 Pokerwork on wood panel, approximately 8.5 in. by 10.5 in. (unframed) Digitally enhanced to facilitate viewing After the oil painting by TBD Digital image thanks to the owner

A private owner in Kuranda, Australia is researching the above pyroengraving (also called pokerwork) thought to be by English, early-19th-C. artist Joseph Smith. The owner's father gave him this piece from his grandfather's estate.

The panel is in its original frame; however, both frame and panel have deteriorated over time and undergone attempts at restoration. Here are the owner's observations regarding the work itself and comments about its provenance: "The framing, which was originally gilt over gesso, has a paper tag "G. Cooper's, Plate Glass, Carving, Gilding, No36 Piccadilly." The head is boldly and deeply burned, and seems to me to be well done by a confident artist. The varnish is very dark and almost hides the burnt work. It is also in poor repair, having travelled to Australia in the mid 19th century and survived the extremely dry climate here for 150 years. Someone, possibly my grandfather, added iron bars to the back of the frame to prevent the wood panel from bending."

There is an 1810 full-length portrait by Joseph Smith of John Jeffreys (after a painting by Hoppner) in the Pinto Collection. An article entitled The Pinto Collection: Important 19th C. Pyrographic Artists highlights research and notes by conservator Susan Millis on that collection, which is at the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery in England.

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The owner of the work displayed here would like to see it authenticated as a Joseph Smith work; have it restored to its original beauty; learn if it was done from another source and, should that be the case, learn what that source was. If you have either any questions or any information regarding this Joseph Smith work or others by this artist, please e-mail the E-Museum Curator.

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© 2006, 2009 Kathleen M. Garvey Menéndez, all rights reserved.
Last updated 9 November 2009.