Light, science and the sublime: The art and world of Joseph Wright 'of Derby'
- Tuesday, 10 February 2026
- Tuesday, 17 February 2026
- Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Enrol
| Standard: | £45 |
| Concessions: | £42.75 |
Please book a ticket to access the event. You will receive an E-ticket with instructions on how to access your online events, films and resources via your National Gallery account.
Please note, only one ticket can be booked per account.
Concessions are for full-time students, jobseekers, and disabled adults.
This event is open for Members priority booking until Sunday, November 23, 2025.
About
Uncover how Joseph Wright ‘of Derby’ united science, emotion and the drama of light in this three-week course exploring his technical mastery and the spirit of enquiry that shaped his art.
Few artists captured the spirit of their age as vividly as Joseph Wright ‘of Derby’. His paintings reflect a world in transition, between the faith in science and industry that defined the Enlightenment, and the fascination with the sublime and emotion of Romanticism.
In this three-week course, we’ll explore how Wright’s art embodies this tension. We’ll also consider how Wright’s technical mastery of light and tenebrism drew on the legacy of Caravaggio and Honthorst and how Wright’s portraits, experiments and landscapes turned the pursuit of knowledge into a profound meditation on human experience.
Light, science and the sublime: The art and world of Joseph Wright 'of Derby'
Joseph Wright used the sobriquet ‘of Derby’ throughout his career, showing his deep pride in his birthplace. His relationship with London, the centre of the English art world, was, however, complex and at times fraught. In this first session, we’ll introduce the biography of Wright and the places that were foundational to Wright’s identity and practice.
In London, Wright trained under the leading portrait painter Thomas Hudson who also trained Sir Joshua Reynolds. Wright remained loyal to the Society of Artists even after exhibiting at the newly formed Royal Academy, led by Reynolds. Yet, Wright never moved to London, choosing instead to work from Derby. We’ll consider how this decision shaped his career and artistic independence. We will also further explore Wright’s enduring connection to his hometown.
Light, science and the sublime: The art and world of Joseph Wright 'of Derby'
The second week explores the rational and scientific influences that defined Wright’s age, from the ideals of Enlightenment learning to the rise of industry. In the first half of the session, we’ll examine Wright’s depictions of people absorbed in the act of looking, often engaging with objects, demonstrations and experiments. For Wright and his contemporaries, the close study of art and nature was not just pleasurable but morally and intellectually improving. Wright’s closely observed and technically virtuosic paintings reflected these principles.
In the second half, we’ll turn to Wright’s portrayal of scientific discovery and industrial change in Britian. Often described as to the Industrial Revolution what Jacques-Louis David was to the French Revolution, Wright captured the spirit of innovation in his paintings, which were enhanced through his friendships with inventors, industrialists, and scientists, including the members of the Lunar Society.
Light, science and the sublime: The art and world of Joseph Wright 'of Derby'
In our final session, we shift from reason to emotion, exploring how Wright turned from portraiture to landscape towards the end of his life, finding drama and feeling in both nature and imagination. His 1773 trip to Italy provided the spectacle of Vesuvius, inspiring many moonlit volcano paintings. Yet alongside these sublime visions, Wright also painted the still beauty of his native Derbyshire’s hills and valleys.
The Enlightenment is also justifiably known as a period when mysticism and magic were replaced by rational, scientific explanations for the natural world. However, in conjunction with Enlightenment science, there also existed irrational beliefs. This coexistence of approaches to the world was captured by Wright in a number of his most famous works. In the final lecture of the course, we will ask whether Wright was as much a painter of magic as of science.
Your tutor
Dr Matthew Morgan is a freelance art historian, educator and museum professional. Until recently he was the Museum Director of Turner's House, and he is also an Associate Lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London. He has worked in the heritage sector for over 10 years, including at the Royal Collection, the National Gallery and the Wallace Collection. Prior to that he was a Director in Christie’s Valuation Department. He has contributed to TV documentaries, podcasts, radio shows and has lectured widely across the country and made a series of short films which can be seen on YouTube.
Watch again
Can't make Tuesday afternoons but don't want to miss out? No problem, you can watch again.
Each session is recorded and made available to you for the duration of the course, up until 2 weeks after the final session.
A video of the week's lecture will be uploaded and available for you to watch via your National Gallery account on Thursday afternoons, in time for the weekend
Format
Each session lasts for 2 hours and includes a lecture delivered by the course lecturer followed by a short break and further discussion.
Time will be allowed for questions and discussion via Q&A.
Handouts will be available via your National Gallery account on Monday mornings.
Optional homework is provided to help you prepare for the following week's session.
Booking information
This is an online ticketed course hosted on Zoom. Please book a ticket to access the course. Only one ticket can be booked per account.
You will be emailed an E-ticket with instructions on how to access the course via your National Gallery account. All course information including your Zoom link, weekly handouts, and recordings will be available here.
Your link will be valid for the duration of the course.
Booking after the course has started
You are welcome to join the module at any point during its three-week run. You will gain access to all the recordings until two weeks after the final session.