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Joseph Wright of Derby


Synopsis


A revelatory study of one of the 18th century's greatest artists, which places him in relation to the darker side of the English Enlightenment

Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797), though conventionally known as a 'painter of light', returned repeatedly to nocturnal images. His essential preoccupations were dark and melancholy, and he had an enduring concern with death, ruin, old age, loss of innocence, isolation and tragedy.

In this long-awaited book, Matthew Craske adopts a fresh approach to Wright, which takes seriously contemporary reports of his melancholia and nervous disposition, and goes on to question accepted understandings of the artist. Long seen as a quintessentially modern and progressive figure - one of the artistic icons of the English Enlightenment - Craske overturns this traditional view of the artist. He demonstrates the extent to which Wright, rather than being a spokesman for scientific progress, was actually a melancholic and sceptical outsider, who increasingly retreated into a solitary, rural world of philosophical and poetic reflection, and whose artistic vision was correspondingly dark and meditative.

Craske offers a succession of new and powerful interpretations of the artist's paintings, including some of his most famous masterpieces. In doing so, he recovers Wright's deep engagement with the landscape, with the pleasures and sufferings of solitude, and with the themes of time, history and mortality.

In this book, Joseph Wright of Derby emerges not only as one of Britain's most ambitious and innovative artists, but also as one of its most profound.


Distributed for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

Matthew Craske, Joseph Wright

Summary

Chapter 1: The Early Years

This chapter traces Wright's early life and training. Born in Derby, England in 1734, Wright showed an early aptitude for art. He studied under two local painters before moving to London in 1751 to join the St. Martin's Lane Academy. In London, Wright came into contact with leading artists of his time, including Joshua Reynolds and John Hamilton Mortimer.

Example: Wright's early work, "A Girl with a Bird Cage," painted around 1754, demonstrates his mastery of portraiture and his interest in capturing the play of light and shadow.

Chapter 2: The Scientific Experiments

Wright became fascinated by the scientific experiments being conducted in London and began to incorporate them into his paintings. He painted scenes of inventors demonstrating their creations, such as Thomas Wright's Orrery (1766), a mechanical model of the solar system. Wright's scientific paintings combined a keen eye for observation with a dramatic use of lighting.

Example: "The Orrery" captures the tension and excitement surrounding Wright's demonstration. The painting's strong diagonal composition and contrasting light and dark create a sense of drama and wonder.

Chapter 3: The Italian Journey

In 1773, Wright traveled to Italy on a painting tour. He spent two years studying the works of the old masters, particularly Caravaggio and Rembrandt. Wright's Italian experience had a profound influence on his style, leading him to adopt a more muted palette and a stronger emphasis on chiaroscuro.

Example: "The Hermit (1774)" reflects Wright's assimilation of Italian art. The painting's rich, earthy tones and strong contrasts between light and dark evoke the work of Caravaggio while maintaining Wright's distinctive scientific sensibility.

Chapter 4: The Industrial Revolution

Returning to England in 1775, Wright found himself in the midst of the Industrial Revolution. He became increasingly fascinated by the technological advancements of his time and his paintings began to reflect the changing landscape of Britain. Wright painted scenes of ironworks and factories, capturing the power and energy of the new industrial age.

Example: "The Iron Forge (1792)" depicts the intense heat and labor of an ironmaking forge. Wright's use of strong, saturated colors and dramatic lighting creates a sense of awe and admiration for the industrial might of his era.

Chapter 5: The Legacy of Joseph Wright

Wright's work had a significant impact on subsequent generations of artists. His emphasis on scientific observation and the use of light and shadow influenced the development of Romanticism and Realism. Turner, Constable, and other leading artists of the nineteenth century acknowledged Wright's influence on their own work.

Example: Turner's "Rain, Steam, and Speed - The Great Western Railway (1844)" owes a clear debt to Wright's industrial paintings. Turner's depiction of the train emerging from the darkness combines the fascination with technology and the dramatic play of light that characterized Wright's art.