One of England’s most distinctive painters, was born on this day in 1734 in Derby’s Irongate district. Wright would go on to earn recognition as “the first professional painter to express the spirit of the Industrial Revolution”.
Born into a family of lawyers—his father John was Derby’s town clerk—Wright chose an artistic path instead. At seventeen, he moved to London to study under Thomas Hudson, who also taught Joshua Reynolds. After completing his training, Wright returned to Derby in 1753, where he would spend most of his career.
Revolutionary Artistic Style
Wright pioneered a dramatic painting technique using tenebrism—an extreme form of chiaroscuro that creates striking contrasts between light and darkness. His candlelit scenes became his signature, capturing subjects illuminated by artificial light in ways that had never been attempted before. Wright’s most celebrated works documented the birth of modern science during the Enlightenment. His paintings of the Lunar Society of Birmingham a group of scientists and industrialists—created a visual record of science challenging traditional religious beliefs. Masterpieces like A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery (1766) and An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) remain iconic images of scientific discovery.
Beyond his scientific subjects, Wright excelled in both portraiture and landscape painting. He spent three productive years in Liverpool (1768-1771) painting prominent citizens, and later became an associate of the Royal Academy in 1781. Though elected as a full member in 1784, he declined the honor due to a perceived slight, maintaining only an informal relationship with the institution.
Wright married Ann, who bore him six children, though three died in infancy. After Ann’s death in 1790, Wright lived his final years with his two surviving daughters at 28 Queen Street, Derby, where he died on August 29, 1797.
Today, many of Wright’s works are housed in Derby Museum and Art Gallery, while his masterpiece An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump hangs in London’s National Gallery. His dramatic moonlit landscapes, including Dovedale by Moonlight, continue to captivate viewers with their atmospheric beauty and technical brilliance.
Featuring Image Courtesy: Derby Museum
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