Liberty Chalker

Joseph Wright of Derby was born in Derby for most of his life. He was called Joseph Wright of Derby, to distinguish him from another artist at the time with the same name. He was arguably the more talented of the two but this name stuck. He was one of the most prominent English painters of the eighteenth century to spend most of his career outside of the city of London. He was free to explore his scientific interest. His involvement with the Lunar Society of Birmingham allowed Wright to explore these scientific interests. He became known for his use of chiaroscuro and his portrayal of his subjects in portraiture, even to fault because many did not want him to capture their true personalities.

Joseph Wright of Derby: The Artist

The Orrey was a model of the solar system that was used for lectures and public demonstrations, which were a popular form of entertainment at the time. Science and technology were of great interest. When cranked by hand the machine allows the planets and their moons to rotate around the sun, displaying their orbit and relationship. The Orrey can also depict eclipses. The dramatic light in this piece is meant to mimic the sun and gives the painting the dramatic feel.

The Orrey

This man taking notes is thought to be Joseph Wrights friend, Peter Perez Burdett.

Joseph Wright of Derby was fascinated by light. He began as a portrait painter but then started to explore painting different light forms. For example, figures through the light of a candle or lamps. He was also inspired by science; he invented the scientific Enlightenment subject. Which included scenes of experiments, machinery, and leaders of the Industrial Revolution. He used dramatic contrasts of light and shade which were influenced by artists like Gerrit van Honthorst and Rembrandt van Rijn. Wright was also inspired by Vesuvius's volcanic eruption and Rome's annual fireworks display.

The Use of Light

Although this piece was not meant to spark conversation on who the philosopher is, it has been widely discussed. It has been theorized that the person delivering the lecture is Sir Issac Newton, who had a large part in the enlightenment. Another theory is that it is a member of the Lunar Society of Birmingham, a group of prominent scientists in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

The Philosopher

In the 1700s history painting was regarded highly by the British. Wright took this method of painting events and applied it to this piece. The moral of this piece is the pursuit of knowledge. The portrayal of men and children crowded in a small space with the focal point of the Orrey mimics the compositional structure a conversation piece like the piece “Gore Family” (left). Some would say this piece is in a way depicting a religious experience, of science.

The "Moral"

This man is thought to be Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers, who was the initial owner of the work.

• Fox, Abram. Smarthistory – Joseph Wright of Derby, a Philosopher Giving a Lecture at the Orrery. smarthistory.org/joseph-wright-of-derby-a-philosopher-giving-a-lecture-at-the-orrery.
• “Joseph Wright of Derby - Derby Museums.” Derby Museums, derbymuseums.org/collection/joseph-wright-of-derby.
• Joseph Wright of Derby (the J. Paul Getty Museum Collection). www.getty.edu/art/collection/person/103K1Y.
• Saatchi, Charles. “A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery - Charles Saatchi.” Charles Saatchi, 19 Mar. 2021, www.charlessaatchi.com/a-philosopher-lecturing-on-the-orrery.

Citations

Joseph Wright of Derby; "A Philosopher Giving a Lecture at the Orrery"; 1766; oil on canvas; Derby Museum and Art Gallery in England.