Plausible Photograph of Joseph Smith Jr.
Welcome to my webpage, where I go into my research into a possible photograph of Joseph Smith. Read my story below, or just skip ahead to the links on the left. If you are not on a computer, click the three tabs in the top left- to see the list of different pages- of research, if on a mobile device.
Thank you! -Debra
Thank you! -Debra
The reason people are actually looking for a photograph of Joseph Smith, is because, his son Joseph Smith III said to the Salt Lake Tribune, March 20, 1910:
"I do regret the statement made, that there is no authentic picture of my father in existence, for this is a mistake... visit the capitol of Iowa, [you] will find a duplicate oil painting of Joseph Smith in one of the halls...
There is an authentic oil painting... at Independence, Mo... this portrait... is sustained in it's characteristic likeness to my father by the daguerreotype in our possession, taken the same year, I think, by an artist by the name of Lucian Foster...
Mr. Ramsey... the expression about the lower part of the face, taken from the death mask, which I saw... gives too full prominence to the lips and chin... I am enclosing a photograph taken from the oil painting referred to.
Yours truly,
Joseph Smith..." 2
We find Joseph Smith III countering claims of there not being a photograph of Joseph Smith, I believe one historian told me, in an email, came from John Taylor, as he was trying to get a realistic bust done of Joseph, in England- said that he didn't personally know of a photograph of Joseph Smith. This statement appears to have been quoted, in the Salt Lake Tribune, angering Joseph Smith III and debunked by him in 1910. Some Utahns argue that they believe J.S. III lied about his father's plural marriages in the 1800s, so of course he would LIE about having a daguerreotype of his father. The eldest son, of Joseph Smith and Emma, states that he has a daguerreotype of his father, Joseph Smith Jr. (or Sr. if you read statements after J.S. Sr. died, note- sometimes J.S. III called himself Joseph Smith Jr...), by Lucian Foster.
Lucian Foster was on Joseph Smith's Presidential Campaign in May 1844. His statement checks out in my opinion and if you see my page About the Photographer, you will see how similar Emma's 1845 daguerreotype, maybe also done by Foster, same background (reprinted on to a CDV) matches my CDV, from a Smith Family Photo Album.
https://www.plausiblephotographofjosephsmithjunior.com/the-photographer.html
"I do regret the statement made, that there is no authentic picture of my father in existence, for this is a mistake... visit the capitol of Iowa, [you] will find a duplicate oil painting of Joseph Smith in one of the halls...
There is an authentic oil painting... at Independence, Mo... this portrait... is sustained in it's characteristic likeness to my father by the daguerreotype in our possession, taken the same year, I think, by an artist by the name of Lucian Foster...
Mr. Ramsey... the expression about the lower part of the face, taken from the death mask, which I saw... gives too full prominence to the lips and chin... I am enclosing a photograph taken from the oil painting referred to.
Yours truly,
Joseph Smith..." 2
We find Joseph Smith III countering claims of there not being a photograph of Joseph Smith, I believe one historian told me, in an email, came from John Taylor, as he was trying to get a realistic bust done of Joseph, in England- said that he didn't personally know of a photograph of Joseph Smith. This statement appears to have been quoted, in the Salt Lake Tribune, angering Joseph Smith III and debunked by him in 1910. Some Utahns argue that they believe J.S. III lied about his father's plural marriages in the 1800s, so of course he would LIE about having a daguerreotype of his father. The eldest son, of Joseph Smith and Emma, states that he has a daguerreotype of his father, Joseph Smith Jr. (or Sr. if you read statements after J.S. Sr. died, note- sometimes J.S. III called himself Joseph Smith Jr...), by Lucian Foster.
Lucian Foster was on Joseph Smith's Presidential Campaign in May 1844. His statement checks out in my opinion and if you see my page About the Photographer, you will see how similar Emma's 1845 daguerreotype, maybe also done by Foster, same background (reprinted on to a CDV) matches my CDV, from a Smith Family Photo Album.
https://www.plausiblephotographofjosephsmithjunior.com/the-photographer.html
In Joseph Smith's journal, September 1842 he states:
"Friday 16th. With brother [David] Rogers at home. bro R painting
Saturday 17th. At home with brother [David] Rogers, painting.
Monday 19th. & Tuesday 20th. With brothers [David] Rogers painting at his house." www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1841-december-1842/82
"Friday 16th. With brother [David] Rogers at home. bro R painting
Saturday 17th. At home with brother [David] Rogers, painting.
Monday 19th. & Tuesday 20th. With brothers [David] Rogers painting at his house." www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1841-december-1842/82
Artistic Depictions, verify my CDV's Plausibility :)
Painting by Sutcliffe Maudsley, June 1842. Joseph appears to have a receding hairline.
Below is the painting done by David Rogers in September 1842. He has a full head of hair, thick enough to comb straight backwards with a huge bouffant.
Painting of Joseph Smith by David Rogers, and "sustained" in it's likeness by Joseph Smith III, using a daguerreotype of his father. Rogers clearly took some artistic liberties in how he gave him a fuller head of hair than he had three months Prior, as this is September 1842...
Three months earlier, June 25th, 1842, Sutcliffe Maudsley did his profile drawings/paintings of Joseph, showing much less hair than Rogers showed him having three months later: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1841-december-1842/30
Previously I was sure I read this was from life- although the below image on one website said it was drawn from life at the Springfield trial of 1843, the book it's featured in gives credit to Fredrick Piercy, who did not come to Utah until the 1850s, and never saw Joseph Smith in person, however, he stopped for an extended stay with Emma Smith, drawing Lucy Mack, and Emma's sons :
https://books.google.com/books?id=k4VDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=fredrick+piercy+drawing+of+Lucy+Smith&source=bl&ots=9KetguXk0B&sig=ACfU3U2O40vr6ReLZXtW8-9NvOIN1qkQ1A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiK5pSt347mAhXQJjQIHRXxA0IQ6AEwDHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=emma%20&f=false
The image below, although not a life drawing, is strikingly similar to the man in my photograph as it shows a side part, receding hairline and matching popped down collar and dark, silk- double wrapped bow-tie, consistent with 1840s clothing (whereas Maudsley always drew him with a popped up collar... maybe Fredrick Piercy saw my CDV): https://www.plausiblephotographofjosephsmithjunior.com/1840s-cloting.html
https://books.google.com/books?id=k4VDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=fredrick+piercy+drawing+of+Lucy+Smith&source=bl&ots=9KetguXk0B&sig=ACfU3U2O40vr6ReLZXtW8-9NvOIN1qkQ1A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiK5pSt347mAhXQJjQIHRXxA0IQ6AEwDHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=emma%20&f=false
The image below, although not a life drawing, is strikingly similar to the man in my photograph as it shows a side part, receding hairline and matching popped down collar and dark, silk- double wrapped bow-tie, consistent with 1840s clothing (whereas Maudsley always drew him with a popped up collar... maybe Fredrick Piercy saw my CDV): https://www.plausiblephotographofjosephsmithjunior.com/1840s-cloting.html
Sources:
1: https://juvenileinstructor.org/daguerreotype-of-joseph-smith-wearing-the-urim-and-thummim-caution-this-will-disturb-you/
2: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5922&context=etd
3: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1984/01/from-the-prophets-life-a-photo-essay?lang=eng
1: https://juvenileinstructor.org/daguerreotype-of-joseph-smith-wearing-the-urim-and-thummim-caution-this-will-disturb-you/
2: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5922&context=etd
3: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1984/01/from-the-prophets-life-a-photo-essay?lang=eng
Wel