A Light in the Dark: Joseph Wright of Derby

Exhibition
Painted portrait of a man in three-quarter profile in a green jacket and turban-like head wrap. His head rests on his thumb and pointer finger.

Self-Portrait (detail), 1765–1768, Joseph Wright of Derby. Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Gift of Alina Cade in memory of her husband Joseph Wright Cade, 2009

Photo: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

The British painter Joseph Wright of Derby is celebrated for his astonishing ability to capture the magic of light piercing the dark. In 1760s London he exhibited a series of remarkable pictures that catapulted the provincial artist to national fame. This exhibition reunites several of these works—including the Getty’s recently rediscovered Two Boys with a Bladder—and explores the technical innovations and artistic ambitions behind some of the most enthralling paintings of the 18th century.

This exhibition is presented in English and Spanish. Esta exposición se muestra en inglés y en español.

Nov 24, 2026–Mar 14, 2027

Getty Center

Museum West Pavilion, Plaza Level

Free

All exhibitions are included in your free, timed-entry reservation to Getty. Reservations are available six weeks in advance. Please note, there is a fee for parking.

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Selected Works

  • A Philosopher Giving that Lecture on the Orrery, in Which a Lamp is put in the Place of the Sun

    1766, Joseph Wright of Derby. Oil on canvas. Derby Museums. Purchased by public subscription and presented to Derby Museums in 1884

    A group of people gather around a 18th-century celestial device, lit only by a candle in the middle.

  • Two Boys with a Bladder

    1767, Joseph Wright of Derby. Oil on canvas. Getty Museum

    Two young boys are in a dark room, lit only by a candle. The boy on the right inflates a pig's bladder.

  • A Philosopher Shewing an Experiment on the Air Pump

    1769, Valentine Green (after Joseph Wright; printed by John Boydell). Mezzotint with traces of engraving in black ink on ivory laid paper. The Art Institute of Chicago. The Amanda S. Johnson and Marion J. Livingston Fund, 2013.1271

    Group of people gathers around an 18th-century science experiment, lit only by a single candle at the center of the scene.

  • Self-Portrait at the Age of About Forty

    about 1772–73. Joseph Wright of Derby. Oil on canvas. Derby Museums. The painting has been Accepted in lieu of Inheritance Tax by HM Government under a hybrid arrangement and allocated to Derby Museums, administered by Arts Council England, with additional support from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Robert M. Kirkland DL and a number of private donors and foundations

    Three-quarters portrait of a person holding a paintbrush wearing a yellow shirt and is draped in scarves.

  • Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candle-Light

    1765, Joseph Wright of Derby. Oil on canvas. Private collection

    Group of three men in 18th-century fashions examine a table-top white stone statue of a nude male figure by candlelight.

  • Two Boys Fighting over a Bladder

    about 1768, Joseph Wright of Derby. Oil on canvas. Private Collection, c/o Omnia Art Ltd. Photograph: Omnia Art Ltd.

    Two boys wrestle in the dark, lit only by an unseen candle between them.

  • Study of a Boy Reading

    about 1766, Joseph Wright of Derby. Grisaille pastel with touches of black chalk, on blue paper. Getty Museum

    Pastel and chalk drawing of a boy reading a book

Contact

Media Contact: Cole Calhoun

For press inquiries related to this exhibition, please email Cole Calhoun.

Publications

A Light in the Dark

Joseph Wright of Derby
$30/£26
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Exhibition Resources