Joseph Wright of Derby
Joseph Wright of Derby (1734–1797) was an English painter famous for portraits, landscapes, and especially dramatic candle-lit scenes. He is often called Wright of Derby because he lived and worked in Derby, England. Wright used a strong light-and-dark contrast called tenebrism to highlight moments of scientific discovery and invention.
Born in Derby on 3 September 1734, he came from a respectable family. At 17 he went to London to study with the painter Thomas Hudson and was influenced by Alexander Cozens. He returned to Derby to paint portraits, spent time in Liverpool, and in 1773 married Ann Swift. The couple had six children; Ann died in 1790.
In 1773–74 Wright traveled to Italy, visiting places like Naples, which inspired some of his later works. He also spent time in Bath before settling again in Derby. Through Erasmus Darwin and other members of the Lunar Society, a group of Midlands scientists and industrialists, Wright became connected to the science and ideas of the Enlightenment. He often painted scenes that celebrated science and learning.
Some of his best-known works include A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery (1766), An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768), and The Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight (1765). He also painted landscapes such as Dovedale by Moonlight and Moonlight Landscape. Wright showed his work at the Royal Academy and the Society of Artists; he became an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1781 and a full member in 1784, though he declined full membership.
He died on 29 August 1797 in Derby and was buried at St Alkmund's Church, Derby. His remains were later moved when the church was demolished, and his legacy lives on in his striking pictures that capture the rise of science during the Enlightenment.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:39 (CET).