Between 1765 and 1773 Joseph Wright of Derby painted a series of dramatic candlelit scenes, including A Philosopher Giving That Lecture on the Orrery in which a Lamp Is Put in Place of the Sun (1766), in which children and adults gaze in wonder at a mechanical model of the solar system. One of several works in which Wright brought the Enlightenment to life by depicting scientific experiments, it was immediately recognised as a masterpiece: Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers, acquired it for the substantial sum of £210, up to eight times more than what Wright’s portraits were fetching. These candlelit paintings, in which Wright’s showmanship and mastery of light and shade are in full evidence, are at the heart of this exhibition at the National Gallery (7 November–10 May 2026). Most of the paintings, including Lecture on the Orrery, are on loan from Derby Museums Trust, which holds the world’s largest collection of Wright’s work.
Find out more from the National Gallery’s website.
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