Image talk:Joseph Smith, Jr. (1843 photograph).jpg

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[edit] Historicity of Image

Two photographic images in circulation for over one hundred years are often mistaken as photographs of Joseph from life. These images are often misinterpreted as copies of the "lost" daguerreotype of Joseph. Copyrighted by Joseph III in 1879, the first is known as the William B. Carson photograph. A second contender appeared in Utah in 1885, produced by Charles W. Carter. Its caption reads, "Joseph Smith, the Prophet, copied from the original daguerreotype, taken at the City of Nauvoo, in 1843." A common source for these two images can now be documented. That source is not, however, a daguerreotype of Joseph taken from life, but is instead his now well-known front view oil portrait. The Carson photograph was created not long after Emma (Smith) Bidamon’s death. Joseph III arranged for Mrs. Jane Robinson, a photographer and RLDS church member in Peoria, Illinois, to copy the portrait of Joseph, Jr. Sister Robinson apparently engaged William Carson to retouch the negatives and produce prints of the image in a variety of sizes. Robinson, Joseph III, and his stepfather, Lewis Bidamon sold the resultant photographs throughout the RLDS church. An advertisement for the photographs appeared in the 15 August 1879 Herald which explains, "[We have now on hand and subject to order, Photograph copies of the only authentic front view painting of Joseph, the Martyr, in existence. This portrait was taken by a painter from New York, when Joseph was about thirty-six years of age, and represents him as he appeared at that time,] has remained in the possession of Emma, until near the close of her life, when it was by her committed to the hands of President Joseph Smith, with permission to have it copied, copyright secured." [Saints' Herald, 26 (15 August 1879): 254.]

The 1885 Carter image, while emerging by a less direct route, also is a copy of the front view oil portrait. In the spring of 1885 Lewis Bidamon gave Joseph III a number of Emma's personal items. According to Joseph III, included was, "a daguerreotype of my father which I had forgotten was in existence." [Richard P. Howard, The Memoirs of President Joseph Smith III, 220, col. A.] Joseph III traveled to Utah later that year on a mission. He met Charles Carter and allowed Carter to copy the daguerreotype. Carter's negative still exists and is located in the LDS Church Archives. Well respected LDS researcher, Ephraim Hatch, of Utah, has compared it to an early daguerreotype of the oil portrait at the RLDS [now known as the Community of Christ] Library-Archives. Clearly, Carter's negative is of the daguerreotype [then in Joseph III’s possession] because of the correspondence between visible scratches in both images. The image on the daguerreotype, though admittedly life like, is just a shot of the portrait. Unfortunately, Joseph III's legendary daguerreotype was not a photograph of Joseph, Jr., from life. [See: “Possible Early Photographic Image of Joseph Smith, Jr.,” by Ronald Romig and Lachlan Mackay, Saint’s Herald, Vol. 141, #12 (December 1994), 8-10, 12.]

We would be happy to discuss this further and improve the Wikipedia if you would like to stay and assist us. Have you read this site thoroughly? http://www.comevisit.com/lds/js3photo.htm Tom H. 05:00, Jan 26, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] comment

[edit] Joseph Smith Portrait

From User talk:Stevertigo, Sept 21 2006: I'm going to revert most of your changes to Image:Joseph Smith, Jr. (1843 photograph).jpg. If you'd like add back some discussion of the Carter portrait theory, please mention the names of the scholars who originated or propound that theory (see Wikipedia:No original research).

Incidentally, I played around a bit with both images and I agree that once the Carter portrait is suitably rotated and scaled appropriately there is a striking similarity. I personally don't buy the theory that the images are identical, however: If you look carefully at the shading around the bottom of the nose, you can see that Smith in the Carter image is illuminated from Smith's right, whereas Smith in the Joseph Smith III image is illuminated from a point higher up and to Smith's left. 72.8.65.151 06:23, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

There is no expert requirement here. By todays standards, its an obvious forgery, although in past years it may have passed as a real photo. The shading argument is not as compelling as the "striking similarity" argument, because photos can be burned and dodged during the printing stage, to imitate shadows. -Ste|vertigo 00:15, 3 February 2007 (UTC)

The Carter portrait is dated 1886, after the photo is known to have existed. It may not be a live photo, but it would have been based on Image:Joseph Smith, Jr. portrait owned by Joseph Smith III.jpg, not the Carter photo. COGDEN 02:16, 3 February 2007 (UTC)