Joseph Smith Statue 6 Inch | Bronze

Cultured Marble with Bronze Finish

The legacy of this remarkable piece begins in 1906 when sculptor Mahonri Young returned to Salt Lake City seeking to capture the exact likeness of the Prophet. Approaching Church leaders with a vision for a life-sized monument, Young was initially commissioned to create a bust to prove his concept. He was granted access to Joseph Smith’s actual death mask in March of that year, allowing him to meticulously model the facial features and quickly complete a historically accurate bust that laid the groundwork for a much larger project. Pleased with his initial work, the Church commissioned Young in 1907 to sculpt the full life-sized statue, though the process was demanding. Young struggled with unsatisfactory local clay and even had to use his own dining room as a makeshift studio. When his first plaster model was ultimately rejected by Church leadership, Young persevered, offering to sculpt a new statue of Joseph entirely free of charge provided he was also commissioned to create a companion piece of Hyrum Smith. Working under close supervision in a new studio space within the Social Hall, Young successfully completed the monumental figures we recognize today. The completed statues of Joseph and Hyrum were originally placed in niches at the Salt Lake Temple in 1909 before being moved to prominent granite pedestals on the temple grounds in 1911 to ensure greater visibility. Today, that rich heritage is carefully preserved through One Moment In Time. Building on a 32-year foundation of providing meaningful, high-quality pieces, we hold the unique distinction of being the only company that produces these faithful reproductions of Mahonri Young's original Joseph Smith statue, allowing you to bring a true piece of Church history into your own home.