to the Salon of
J. William Fosdick
and His 1894 Article
"BURNT-WOOD DECORATION"
Including Use of His Thermo-Cautery Pyrography Tool

* Update, September 2010:
An 1897 article about J. William Fosdick—The Founder of a New Art—shows the above image from "On the Field of the Cloth of Gold" and reveals it is one of a frieze of four panels. The panel shown above was actually mislabeled in this 1894 article, because it depicts Francis I of France (note his fleur-de-lys banner), not Henry VIII, shown (with his lion banner) in an 1896 article. The one shown above is the left hand panel of the two central panels of the tetraptych; the full title is "The Meeting of Francis I of France and Henry VIII of England on the Field of the Cloth of Gold." See the entire frieze as the lead image in the first (the 1897 article) linked above.

The above article entitled "BURNT-WOOD DECORATION" by J. William Fosdick, was published in The Art Interchange in their July–August 1894 issue. It is fortunate that it includes a rare photograph of the artist posing in his studio with his enormous thermo-cautery tool adapted for pyrography. To learn more about his tool, be sure and visit the Antique Tools Salon in the Pyrographic Tools Exhibit here in the E-Museum.

This 1894 article addresses various issues of interest, including some detail about the curious pyrography tool employed; the type of woods preferred for pyrography, as well as those that are undesirable; the aspect of fading; and some history of Ball Hughes, J. W. Fosdick's predecessor and inspiration. He also spoke of the inspiration for his own "Middle Ages" approach to this art form that resulted from his visit to the Musée de Cluny in Paris. The panel of The Benedictine Monk he described above in that anecdote is likely his Gothic panel pictured in his 1896 article in Century Magazine. Also of interest (and perhaps as a topic of discussion) are J. Wm. Fosdick's thoughts about decorative/architectural art and the methods and applications that are appropriate for this art form.

In specific response to J. Wm. Fosdick's words from the article displayed here—"It is probably only a question of time when we shall have an electric burning tool and thus escape one disagreeable phase of the present cautery, the naphtha fumes."—is a letter to the editor submitted by Patty Thum in the following issue of that magazine. Her letter is accompanied by two astonishing drawings of her electric pyrography tool.

*** UPDATE, 3 July 2009: A 1902 Delineator magazine has a fiction work entitled "The House That Jack and Jill Built" that, surprisingly, shows (without naming him) J. Wm. Fosdick's "The Miller's Daughter" in an illustration of a room with a fireplace. In a subsequent close-up illustration there, it also shows the panel again flanked by two others. Also worth seeing there is an interesting, typically Victorian burnt leather work, which is described and illustrated in that story—as part of the story, supposedly done by the character Jill—with no mention therefore of the artist who actually did it.

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If you have any questions or any information regarding this artist, his works, his tool, or this article, please e-mail the E-Museum Curator.

You are leaving the Salon of
J. William Fosdick's 1894 Article
Describing His Thermo-Pyrography Tool

Pyrography Tools Exhibit,
the Antique Art Hall,
or continue on your tour to one of the following

Pyrographic Art Exhibit Halls:

Portraits and Paintings

Decorative and Applied Art

Sculpture

Folk and Traditional Art

Children's Pyrographic Art

Special Pyrographic Art

The Book Store and E-Museum Library exhibits

Pyrographic Tools exhibit

Your questions and comments are welcome and appreciated. Please e-mail the E-Museum Curator.

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