Joseph Wright of Derby

Joseph Wright of Derby (1734–1797) was a British painter born in Derby, the son of a local lawyer. He 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. His patrons included Josiah Wedgwood and Richard Arkwright, and although some of his paintings have been associated with the Industrial Revolution, his principal interest was the dramatic rendering of light and shade such subjects offered. The Getty Center's exhibition "A Light in the Dark: Joseph Wright of Derby" 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.