to the
Joseph Smith
Salon No. 8

Back to E-Museum Entrance

Face of Jesus Christ with the Crown of Thorns By Joseph Smith, England, 1813 Pokerwork on wood panel, 5 in. tall by 4 in. wide Framed in a 19th Century carved gilt frame (possibly original), about 7.5 in. tall by 6.75 in. wide After the painting by TBD Digital image courtesy of Mark Stone

Face of Jesus Christ with the Crown of Thorns, verso showing signature and date By Joseph Smith, England, 1813 Pokerwork on wood panel, 5 in. tall by 4 in. wide Framed in a 19th Century carved gilt frame (possibly original), about 7.5 in. tall by 6.75 in. wide After the painting by TBD Digital image courtesy of Mark Stone

Detail of the signature, verso: Smith Pyrographist 1813 Note that the last three letters of 'Pyrographist' are somewhat obscured; they are assumed to be 'ist' only because Pyrographist is what the artist typically signed. Digital image courtesy of Mark Stone, who enhanced it to show the detail

Detail of the nails Nails appear irregular and therefore likely hand forged, an indication of their antiquity Digital image courtesy of Mark Stone

Face of Jesus Christ with the Crown of Thorns, close-up view By Joseph Smith, England, 1813 Pokerwork on wood panel, 5 in. tall by 4 in. wide Framed in a 19th Century carved gilt frame (possibly original), about 7.5 in. tall by 6.75 in. wide After the painting by TBD Digital image courtesy of Mark Stone

Mark Stone in England, acquired this beautiful pyrograph of the Face of Jesus Christ with the Crown of Thorns signed Smith Pyrographist and dated 1813 on the verso by English, 19th-Century artist Joseph Smith of Skipton Castle in England. The work is mounted in an ornately carved—and likely the original—gilt frame.

This early panel is the second found by this artist done with this same theme although in a slightly different composition. A later panel, dated 1821 and also displayed here in the E-Museum, is in Australia.

An article entitled The Pinto Collection: Important 19th C. Pyrographic Artists highlights research and notes by English conservator Susan Millis on that collection, which has at least one other work by Joseph Smith and is located at the Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery in England.

---

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.

You are leaving the Joseph Smith Salon No. 8.

You can return to the