Derby Museums Trust
The display in London is the first major exhibition of candlelight paintings created by Joseph Wright
An exhibition of an artist that “puts Derby on the map” is under way at the National Gallery.
The display in London is the first major exhibition of candlelight paintings created by 18th Century painter Joseph Wright, known as Joseph Wright of Derby.
Wright, who is viewed as a painter who ushered in the industrial and scientific revolution in the 18th Century, was one of the first people to portray industry through art work alongside traditional landscapes and portraits.
Lucy Bamford, senior curator of art at Derby Museums, said the exhibition – on display at the National Gallery until 10 May – was “absolutely spectacular”.
As part of the exhibition, Derby Museums Trust has lent a number of pieces to be used in the event.
Ms Bamford said: “We always knew he was this international giant of art but to see that being played out on the national stage is so great.”
With more than 20 works, including other paintings, mezzotints, works on paper and objects, the exhibition explores both Wright’s “artistic practice and the historic context of scientific and artistic development in which they were made”.
Derby Museums Trust
Joseph Wright of Derby was known for showcasing the industrial and scientific revolution in his paintings
Ms Bamford told the BBC the exhibition would come to Derby in June 2026 and would feature the An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump painting, which she said was “possibly Wright’s masterpiece”.
“It’s certainly one of his most iconic works of art and it’s coming back to Derby, the place where it was painted, for the first time in 80 years, so that’s a really big coup,” Ms Bamford added.
Ms Bamford said she hoped the exhibition at the National Gallery would attract new audiences to Derby to see the “broader collection” of work at Derby Museum and Art Gallery.
She told the BBC she wondered whether did “Wright make Derby or did Derby make Wright”.
“I think Wright’s one of the things that puts Derby on the map,” Ms Bamford added.