Joseph Wright of Derby. The Spectacle of Light - ACE211.2

Introduction with brief views of several paintings, including Self Portrait. Dr Stephen Daniels, Nottingham University. Engraving of 18th century Derby. David Fraser, Derby Museum and Art Gallery, on Wright’s "artificial light" subjects. Judy Egerton, Tate Gallery, quotes Gazetteer description of Wright as "a very great and uncommon genius in his peculiar way". Two of Wright’s "candlelight" paintings, Three Persons Viewing The Gladiator by Candlelight (1765), and A Girl Reading a Letter with an Old Man Reading over Her Shoulder (c.1760-1762). Actor as Scientific Lecturer. A Philosopher Giving That Lecture on the Orrery in Which a Lamp is Put in Place of the Sun (1765) and Scientific Lecturer with orrery. Scientific Lecturer and his assistant create a vacuum under a bell-jar. An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768). Dr Roy Porter, The Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, describes the experiment. Details of the painting. The Scientific Lecturer concludes his experiment. Details of the painting. Porter talks about its religious qualities. Daniels talks about "quasi-religious imagery" of this and A Blacksmith’s Shop.