The exhibition will be on display to the public from the 7th November until the 10th May 2026.
Joseph Wright ‘of Derby’ An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump, 1768
© The National Gallery, London
The National Gallery will celebrate Joseph Wright of Derby’s work in candlelight in this major new exhibition – the first display to do so.
Through illuminated faces gathering around a variety of objects, the artist raises moral questions about acts of looking and reminds the viewer of painters of earlier centuries like Caravaggio.
The aim of this display is to challenge the view of Wright of Derby as a figurehead of the Enlightenment, to portray him not merely as a ‘painter of light’. With the works selected for the exhibition, visitors will see how he used the night-time to explore deeper and more sombre themes, including death, melancholy, morality, scepticism and the sublime.
Wright of Derby: From the Shadows will include over 20 works, including other paintings, mezzotints, works on paper and objects to explore his artistic practise.
To book tickets visit: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/wright-of-derby-from-the-shadows