Painting of an alchemist kneeling before a glowing glass flask from which a jet of gas is being released. To his left two young, male assistants are working with a bunsen burner. One of them has stopped to turn and point towards the alchemist. The scene is set within a dark interior, the architecture of which appears gothic. Beyond the alchemist, through an arched, leaded window, a full moon is visible. Inscribed recto, to right of centre: ‘J.W. /Pinxt. /1795’. Painted by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734 - 1797). Oil on canvas, in carved and gilded frame. Glazed.

Exhibitions:

  • Title: 11th Exhibition of the Society of Artists
    Dates: from 15/04/1771 to 15/04/1771
  • Title: Paintings by Joseph Wright, A.R.A., commonly called "Wright of Derby", together with some Original Drawings, and a Complete Collection of Prints after his Works
    Venue: Derby Corporation Art Gallery
    Dates: from 15/04/1883 to 15/04/1883
  • Title: Wright of Derby: The Bi-centenary Exhibition of Paintings by Joseph Wright
    Venue: Derby Corporation Art Gallery
    Dates: from 03/09/1934 to 18/11/1934
  • Title: Pictures by Joseph Wright of Derby
    Venue: Graves Art Gallery
    Dates: from 17/07/1950 to 27/07/1950
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby
    Venue: Norwich Castle Museum
    Dates: from 03/01/1959 to 01/02/1959
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby, 1734 - 1797
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from to
  • Title: Derby Sale
    Dates: from to
  • Title: Christies Sale
    Dates: from to
  • Title: Reflections
    Dates: from 01/01/1972 to 07/05/1972
  • Title: Gothick
    Dates: from 06/05/1975 to 17/08/1975
  • Title: A Trick of Light
    Dates: from 02/09/1975 to 23/09/1975
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: An Exhibition to Commemorate the Centenary of Derby Museums and Art Gallery
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 21/04/1979 to 21/07/1979
  • Title: The Nature of Painting - Light (Arts Council)
    Dates: from 19/10/1983 to 13/11/1983
  • Title: The Nature of Painting - Light (Arts Council)
    Dates: from 19/11/1983 to 18/12/1983
  • Title: The Nature of Painting - Light (Arts Council)
    Dates: from 04/01/1984 to 29/01/1984
  • Title: The Nature of Painting - Light (Arts Council)
    Dates: from 04/02/1984 to 03/03/1984
  • Title: Wright of Derby
    Venue: Tate Gallery
    Dates: from 15/04/1990 to 15/04/1990
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby in Liverpool
    Venue: Walker Art Gallery
    Dates: from 17/11/2007 to 24/02/2008
  • Title: Faces In The Crowd: Joseph Wright And Friends In Georgian Derbyshire
    Venue: Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 05/03/2011 to 30/05/2011
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: Bath and Beyond
    Venue: The Holburne Museum of Art
    Dates: from 25/01/2014 to 05/05/2014
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: Bath and Beyond (2)
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 24/05/2014 to 31/08/2014
  • Title: Simon Starling (part of The Grand Tour, Season Two)
    Dates: from 19/03/2016 to 26/06/2016
  • Title: Harry Potter: A History of Magic
    Venue: British Library
    Dates: from 20/10/2017 to 28/02/2018
  • Title: It's Alive! Frankenstein at 200
    Dates: from 12/10/2018 to 27/01/2019
  • Title: Wright of Derby: From the Shadows
    Venue: National Gallery
    Dates: from 07/11/2025 to 01/11/2026
  • Title: British Institution for Promoting the Fine Arts in the United Kingdom
    Venue: British Institution
    Dates: from 15/04/2026 to 15/04/2026
  • Title: Loan Exhibition of Works by Joseph Wright A.R.A. of Derby
    Venue: Graves' Galleries
    Dates: from 15/04/2026 to 15/04/2026
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings Arranged by the Arts Council
    Venue: Walker Art Gallery
    Dates: from 15/04/2026 to

Publications

  • Title: Wright of Derby
    Published Place: London
    Copyright: The Tate Gallery
    Published Year: 1990
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: Painter of Light
    Sub-Title: Volume 1
    Volume: 1
    Published Place: London
    Copyright: Benedict Nicolson, 1968
    Published Year: 1968
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797) and Natural Philosophy: A New Perspective on his Artistic Intentions
    Volume: XVIII
    Published Place: London
    Published Year: 2017

Related People

  • Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)

    Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797

    Nationality: British

    Biography: Artist.

The Alchymist in Search of the Philosopher's Stone, Discovers Phosphorus, and Prays for the Successful Conclusion of his Operation, as was the Custom of the Ancient Chymical Astrologers

Date: 1771, reworked and dated 1795

Medium: Oil on canvas.

Object Type:Painting
Dimensions:Frame: 1455 × 1185 × 580 mm (57 5/16 × 46 5/8 × 22 13/16 in.) Support: 1270 × 1016 mm (50 × 40 in.)
Description:Alchymists are usually depicted as figures of ridicule as they attempted to discover by experimentation the 'Philosopher's Stone'. This, they believed, would not only cure all known ills in the world, but also turn base metal into gold. Wright appears to be stressing the importance of experimentation, as his Alchymist, no matter what his aims were, has chanced upon the discovery of phosphorus.; Before modern science developed, alchemists combined knowledge, magic and religion in a search for the 'Philosophers' stone', which could turn ordinary metal like lead, into gold. Wright's paintig shows this particular alchemist accidentally discovering a new chemical, phosphorus. His two assistants are making lead from ore, in an experiment still practised today.
Inscriptions:‘J.W. / Pinxt. / 1795’ recto, to right of centre.
Provenance:Listed in Wright’s Account Book as ‘The Chymist £105’; unsold by 1773, so taken by Wright to Italy, unsold there and brought back in 1775; remained in his possession; offered in Wright’s posthumous sale, Christie’s 6 May 1801 (no.62, as ‘The Alchymist in his Elaboratory with Assistants… companion to lot 63 ‘The Hermit’’), bt in; sold Wright sale, Mr. Shaw, Derby, 11 October 1810, purchased by Mr. Tate of Liverpool, for Colonel Thomas Wilson of Wootton Lodge, Staffordshire; offered for sale at Christie’s, 5 February 1881 (lot 665), bt McLean; ...; with Francis Beresford Wright in 1883, from whom purchased by subscription for Derby Art Gallery in 1883.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1883-152
Browse Collection
Browse Collection