Joseph Smith sculpture by Mormon artist Mahonri

Joseph Smith sculpture by Mormon artist Mahonri Young
Plaster bust of the LDS prophet made in 1905/1906
Joseph Smith sculpture by Mormon artist Mahonri Young
Start Price USD 100,000.00
Current Price USD 100,000.00
Time Left -
Bid Count 0
Buy It Now Price -
Reserve Price -
Start Time Friday, June 27, 2008
End Time Monday, July 07, 2008
Location Alexandria, Virginia

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Description
I am actually more interested in discovering information about this item than in selling it – although I am not opposed to letting it go.  I would greatly appreciate any help that anyone can provide.  I have met with historians in the LDS Church Offices and professors at Brigham Young University; talked with auctioneers at Sotheby’s and Weschlers; and scoured through libraries and the Internet.  Here is the little that I know:   In the early 1900s (1905/1906) Mahonri Young approached the LDS Church about doing some work and learned that they wanted to put a statue of the prophet Joseph Smith in front of the entrance to the Salt Lake temple.  Mahonri was a young, unaccomplished artist at the time and the Church was reluctant to give him the work.  However, they let him take the death mask of the prophet to do a plaster study to prove himself.  Based on this practice bust, Mahonri Young was commissioned by the Church to do the statues of Joseph and Hyrum that stand on temple square today, and of course he did several things for the Church after this.   I do not know if this bust is that particular study, or if there are several of them.  If anyone has more details to share, please do.   My father obtained the bust in the late 1950s from a dealer near temple square.  It has been with our family ever since.  As you can see, it is a life-size bust of the prophet that stands on a base.  They are two separate pieces.  Each is plaster, and the bust is painted over with what appears to be a bronzing agent.  On the front of the base is a symbol of an M over a Y inside a circle.  I do not know if this emblem was used by Mahonri Young on any of his other work.   Please email me if you have any information or questions.   Thank you. 

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