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Joseph Smith
Salon No. 7

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Harewood House, Yorkshire, England Digital image courtesy of Harewood House

Two works by Joseph Smith— the Orphans and Simeon with the infant Christ in his arms—were discovered to be part of the luxurious personal household of the Earl of Harewood.

It was thanks to thorough notes in an 1819 publication for tourists written by John Jewell of England that we have learned of these two works by Joseph Smith. The 19th century book, "printed by B. Dewhirst, and sold by the Book-Sellers at Leeds, Harrogate, Otley, &C." is called THE TOURIST'S COMPANION OR THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF HAREWOOD IN YORKSHIRE, . . . and can be viewed in its entirety at this link. This work begins with a very long descriptive title and subtitle and proceeds to describe the village of Harewood, including in precise detail each of the grand rooms of Harewood House.

Following are two excerpts from the 1819 book; the second one ends where the author cites Joseph Smith's works:

Harewood, July, 1819

This beautiful village is situated on the summit of a hill, on the road from Leeds to Harrogate, about eight miles from each place, eight miles east of Otley, seven miles west of Wetherby, twenty-one from York, and one hundred and ninety-nine miles and a half north by north-west of London.


THE EARL OF HAREWOOD'S DRESSING-ROOM

Twenty-four feet three inches, by eighteen feet nine inches, fourteen feet nine inches high; over the chimney-piece is an elegant looking-glass, seven feet six inches by four feet eleven inches; two beautiful mahogany presses, on the top of which , are Shakspeare, Milton, Pope, and Johnson; eight views of foreign seapports, and the following portraits, viz. His Grace the Duke of Wellington, the late Right Honourable Wm. Pitt, the Right Honourable the Viscountess Lascelles, and Miss Hale, by Edridge; the late Lady Harewood, Marquis Cornwallis, General Phipps, and two others; also hunting pieces; over the doors in pyrography, by Mr Smith of Skipton Castle, are the Orphans, and Simeon with the infant Christ in his arms. - See Luke ii 25-36

It is with great disappointment that, as of January 27th, 2008, it has now been determined from the curator of the Harewood House art collection Heather Griffiths that these two Joseph Smith works are no longer there in Harewood House.

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At this time, we turn our hopes to the idea that these works may turn up in a private collection and that the owner(s) will find us and display these works for us here. If you have either any questions or any information regarding these Joseph Smith works or others by this artist, please e-mail the E-Museum Curator.

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