A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH JR.
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The photograph above is believed to be a copy of an original daguerreotype
taken of Joseph Smith Jr. in Nauvoo just before his death in 1844. It has
caused a lot of excitement among researchers who study the image of the
Prophet Joseph Smith.
Evidence suggests, the Prophet's son Joseph Smith III, submitted a photographic
copy of his father's daguerreotype to the Library of Congress in 1879. A
daguerreotype is a small unique image that can only be duplicated by being
re-photographed. Clear reproduction presented a problem because the majority
of daguerreotypes in 1844 were only the size of a large postage stamp. The
Library of Congress copy is an 8x10 inch print, which would be an obvious
enlargement of a small original daguerreotype.
This 1879 duplication was done with film and equipment that by today's standards
would seem quite primitive. It has been retouched around the hair, coat,
on the cravat-or necktie-and the vest. Joseph's pompadour hairstyle, considered
fashionable at the time , has been poorly frisked or masked along the outline.
This retouching has caused the loss of softer, finer, transitional hair
between the parted sections. Joseph's face seems free of any artistic retouching,
but there is an overall "grainy" quality that causes the image
to be less than one might expect from a photograph. This "graininess"
is probably due to the gross enlargement from the original daguerreotype,
however there is a startling photographic quality to the eyes.
This photo may be all that is left of the original image, as the daguerreotype
has not been found. It was good that Joseph's son saw the need to safeguard
his father's photograph with this copy so that over 150 years later we can
now see what Joseph Smith really looked like.
It is believed by a few that this photograph is merely a painting. Careful
study of the data compiled by experts shows this belief to be incorrect.
Much excitement has come from the comparative studies of this image and
a death mask made of the Prophet just after his death. Experts in Facial
Surgery, Forensic Pathology, Plastic and Facial Reconstruction, Art, Art
History, Archival, and Photographic History, have put together information
that not only substantiates the photographic nature of this image, but sheds
new light on the history of Joseph Smith in a unique and extraordinary way.
Frequently Asked Questions / Download the Daguerreotype
---CHAPTERS---
DETAILS IN PHOTO REVEAL CLUES TO JOSEPH'S EXPERIENCES
A COMPARISON WITH THE DEATH MASK
THE SKULL: A MISSING LINK
DID JOSEPH RECEIVE FACIAL FRACTURES?
FACIAL FRACTURES EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
THE DEATH MASK AND THE JS PHOTOGRAPH
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
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This is not the end of this study, currently there are other experts
and scientific analyses scheduled. We are confident that their findings
will continue to add insight into the face, life and times of Joseph Smith.
Those interested in receiving a 70+ page document containing further specifices
about this photograph and the information learned from it, may send $10
to: The Randall Company, P.O. Box 291, Centerville UT 84014.
Researched and Written by Reed Simonsen, Chad Fugate and Jim Fugate.
This site and all information contained copyright 1998 The Randall Co.
All rights reserved.