Joseph Wright of Derby

Joseph Wright of Derby was an English painter celebrated as a great artist of light and of the age of science. Born in Derby in 1734, he became famous for dramatic scenes lit by a single glowing source, a candle, a furnace, or the moon. His most striking works show groups gathered around scientific demonstrations, their faces caught in wonder and shadow as an experiment unfolds.

These paintings capture the excitement of the early Industrial Revolution and the spread of scientific curiosity. He also painted landscapes, portraits, and views of erupting Vesuvius. Wright's masterful handling of light and his fascination with science and industry make him one of the most distinctive English painters of his century.