Wright painted by candlelight. Not metaphorically: his most famous paintings show scenes lit by a single source, a candle, a lamp, a furnace, an erupting volcano, and everything else in darkness. The effect is theatrical. It is also scientific. Wright lived in Derby during the Industrial Revolution and was the first major painter to take the new science seriously as subject matter.
Key facts
- Lived
- 1756–1793, American
- Works held in
- 3 museums
Biography
An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) shows a natural philosopher demonstrating a vacuum pump to a group of onlookers. A white cockatoo is dying in the glass chamber as the air is pumped out. The reactions around the table range from scientific fascination to horror to indifference. Two children are upset. A young couple is distracted by each other. The philosopher looks directly at the viewer, as if asking whether we want him to continue. It is a painting about knowledge and its costs, lit like a Caravaggio.
A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery shows a mechanical model of the solar system, the planets orbiting the lamp that stands in for the sun. The Alchymist shows a man discovering phosphorus, the light of the chemical reaction illuminating his face from below. Each painting uses the same device: a single light source that creates drama from science.
He was born in Derby and died in Derby. He spent two years in Italy (1773-75), where he painted Vesuvius erupting, and visited the Lake District, but Derby was his base. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy but declined full membership after a disagreement about the hanging of his paintings. He preferred to exhibit in his own town, to the people who understood what a forge looked like at night.
Timeline
- 1762Painted "A Girl reading a letter by Candlelight, with a Young Man peering over her shoulder" aged 6.
- 1764Painted "James and Mary Shuttleworth with One of Their Daughters" aged 8.
- 1770Painted "Portrait of Dr Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802) scientist, inventor and poet, grandfather of Charles Darwin" aged 14.
- 1771Painted "The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus or The Alchemist in Search of the Philosophers Stone" aged 15.
- 1786Painted "Convent of San-Cosimato and Part of the Claudian Aqueduct near Vicovaro in the Roman Campagna" aged 30.
- 1790Painted "Landscape with Figures and a Tilted Cart, Matlock Hogh Tor in the Distance" aged 34.
Notable Works
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Related Artists
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Frequently Asked Questions
How did joseph wright died?
Joseph Wright died in 1793 at the age of 37.Joseph wright of derby art style?
While in Italy from 1773 to 1775, Joseph Wright witnessed an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The geological implications fascinated him and became the subject of several paintings, including Mount Vesuvius from Posillipo, which includes a dramatic use.Where did joseph wright of derby live?
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.Who was joseph wright of derby?
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.When was joseph wright born?
Joseph Wright was born in 1756 in United States. Joseph Wright died in 1793, aged 37.Where was joseph wright from?
Joseph Wright was United States, born in 1756 and died in 1793.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Joseph Wright.
- [1] book Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author, Beard, Lee, 1973- author, Butler, Adam, author; Van Cleave, Claire, author; Fortenberry, Diane, author; Stirling, Susan, author - The Art Book_ New Edition, Mini Format Used for: biography.
- [2] book Allison Lee Palmer, Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture Used for: biography.
- [3] book Palmer, Allison Lee, Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-17. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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