Where to See Joseph Wright

You can find Joseph Wright's paintings in several public collections. In London, visit the National Gallery, where you can see *An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump*. Other London museums with works by Wright are the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Outside London, Wright's work can be seen at the Manchester Art Gallery and the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh. In the United States, Wright's art is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park, Florida), the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond), and the Wolfsonian at Florida International University (Miami Beach). In Canada, visit the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

Joseph Wright was originally from Derby, but he moved to London in 1751. He worked primarily in London and Derby, but also spent several years in Bath, Liverpool, and Italy.

Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797) was an English painter, printmaker, and draughtsman. Prints relating to Wright fall into a few categories. Some are original prints, conceived as prints. More common are reproductive prints, copies of works the artist conceived in another medium, such as paintings. These reproductions are often made via photomechanical means. The numbering or signing of a reproduction does not change its status; it remains a copy, not an original print. Prints were expected to be large enough to fill a wall and take on the appearance of fine art when framed. The size was often governed by that of the original painting. Engravers inevitably had to reduce the size of a work. When framed, the print represented an imposing addition to a drawing room. The pricing of prints varies depending on the quantity available, the artist’s reputation, the image's popularity, and the paper, ink, and printing process quality.

Joseph Wright's paintings retain importance because of his innovative approach to subject matter and his distinctive use of light. Wright, sometimes called Wright of Derby, moved away from traditional artistic themes. He embraced the Enlightenment's interest in science and industry. His paintings often depict scientific experiments or industrial processes. These works offer insight into the intellectual and technological changes of his time. Wright's style is marked by dramatic lighting effects, influenced by Caravaggio. This chiaroscuro technique creates a sense of drama and emphasises the key elements within his compositions. One notable example is *An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump* (1768). It transforms a scientific demonstration into a scene reminiscent of a religious miracle, using light to focus attention on the expressions of the figures. Wright's ability to blend scientific subject matter with artistic techniques makes his work significant. He captured the spirit of the age of reason and the shift toward scientific inquiry.

Joseph Wright of Derby, originally from Derby, moved to London in 1751 to train with the rococo painter Thomas Hudson, who also taught Sir Joshua Reynolds. He primarily worked in London and Derby throughout the following years.

Joseph Wright of Derby, active during the late 18th century, is recognised for his exploration of light and shadow, a technique known as chiaroscuro. This dramatic lighting, often seen in religious art of the baroque period, became a hallmark of Wright's style. Wright's technique involved intense illumination to create theatrical scenes. Unlike Caravaggio, whose light sources often appear supernatural, Wright employed light for dramatic effect, particularly in his paintings of scientific subjects. Before becoming an oil painter, Wright trained as a watercolourist. Some artists used white grounds to add luminosity to their oil paintings. Turner also used white primings for many of his oils. Absorbent surfaces allowed a rapid indication of the final colour.

Joseph Wright trained with Thomas Hudson, who also taught Joshua Reynolds. Wright's patrons included Josiah Wedgwood, Richard Arkwright, and Erasmus Darwin. Wright is known for an innovative type of portraiture. It combined images of the merchant class and wealthy entrepreneurs with scenes of scientific developments from the Industrial Revolution. His painting *Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump* (1768) shows a group of people gathered around a scientific experiment. Wright's detailed naturalism is evident in *Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery* (1766), an early example of a machine used to study the rotation of planets. Wright was friendly with some of Britain's leading scientists. He likely had access to sophisticated lenses. By the eighteenth century, camera obscuras were readily available and used by artists, including Canaletto and Reynolds. It is suggested that optics had a deep influence on painting and were used by artists.

Joseph Wright, also known as Wright of Derby, absorbed a range of influences throughout his career. His early training under Thomas Hudson, a portrait painter in London, provided a foundation in studio practice. Wright's exposure to the work of William Hogarth during this period also left its mark; Hogarth's narrative scenes and attention to social detail resonated with the younger artist. Later, Wright's association with the scientific and industrial circles of the Midlands, particularly the Lunar Society, shaped his artistic direction. The society's members, including Erasmus Darwin and Joseph Priestley, were interested in scientific experimentation and technological advancement. This intellectual environment spurred Wright's interest in depicting scientific subjects, such as his famous painting *An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump* (1768). Wright's travels in Italy during the 1770s further broadened his artistic horizons. He encountered classical art and architecture, as well as the dramatic naturalism of artists like Caravaggio. These Italian experiences contributed to Wright's development of dramatic lighting effects and his interest in capturing the sublime qualities of nature.