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Wright of Derby: From the Shadows

7 November 2025 – 10 May 2026

Sunley Room

In an interplay of light and darkness, Joseph Wright of Derby conjures sublime pictures of discovery and learning.

'Wright of Derby: From the Shadows' is the first major exhibition dedicated to the British artist’s ‘candlelight’ paintings. We celebrate and look again at his most admired works.

Illuminated faces gather around a variety of objects – from classical sculptures and scientific instruments to bones, bladders and animals. Through his unflinching scenes of people watching, Wright of Derby proposes moral questions about acts of looking. The strong light and deep shadows create drama, reminding us of great painters from earlier centuries like Caravaggio.

Challenging the traditionally held view of Wright of Derby as a figurehead of the Enlightenment, this exhibition contributes to the ongoing re-evaluation of the artist, portraying him not merely as a ‘painter of light’. More than virtuoso scenes of dramatic light and shade, Wright of Derby used the night-time to explore deeper and more sombre themes, including death, melancholy, morality, scepticism and the sublime.

With over twenty works, including other paintings, mezzotints, works on paper and objects the exhibition explores both Wright of Derby’s artistic practice and the historic context of scientific and artistic development in which they were made.

Watch, along with the people he paints, as his scenes of spectacle and wonder unfold. 


Exhibition organised by the National Gallery and Derby Museums Trust.

Detail from Joseph Wright 'of Derby', 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump', 1768. The National Gallery, London

Ticket prices

Free for Members

Priority booking now open.

Join today to book unlimited free entry for all exhibition dates, including a Member exclusive preview day on 6 November, plus free entry to our other paid exhibitions.

Standard admission

From £12

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Allow 45 minutes for your visit to the exhibition.

Exhibition supported by

The Thompson Family Charitable Trust

 

The Sunley Room exhibition programme is supported by the Bernard Sunley Foundation

 

Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation