Painting of a natural philosopher giving a lecture to an audience of four men, a woman, and three children. They are gathered around an orrery, a working model of the Solar System, at the centre of which is an oil lamp. This is the only source of light in an otherwise dark interior. Painted by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734 - 1797). Oil on canvas, in gilded frame bearing a plaque that commemorates the presentation of the painting to Derby Museums in 1884.

Exhibitions:

  • Title: 7th Exhibition of the Society of Artists
    Venue: The Great Room, Spring Gardens
    Dates: from 16/04/1766 to 16/04/1766
  • Title: Midland Counties Exhibition
    Venue: Derby Drill Hall
    Dates: from 01/05/1870 to 01/05/1870
  • 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 16/04/1883 to 16/04/1883
  • Title: Winter Exhibition: Exhibition of Works by the Old Masters, and by Deceased Masters of the British School; including a selection from the works of Joseph Wright (of Derby), A.R.A., and a Collection of Water-Colour Drawings by Joseph M. W. Turner, RA
    Venue: Royal Academy of Arts
    Dates: from 04/01/1886 to 13/03/1886
  • 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: 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: Wright of Derby
    Venue: Tate Gallery
    Dates: from 16/04/1990 to 16/04/1990
  • 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: Wright of Derby: From the Shadows
    Venue: National Gallery
    Dates: from 07/11/2025 to 01/11/2026
  • Title: Exhibition Held for the Benefit of the Town and County Museum
    Dates: from 16/04/2026 to 16/04/2026
  • Title: Loan Exhibition of Works by Joseph Wright A.R.A. of Derby
    Venue: Graves' Galleries
    Dates: from 16/04/2026 to 16/04/2026
  • Title: The First Hundred Years of the Royal Academy, 1769 - 1868
    Venue: Royal Academy of Arts
    Dates: from 16/04/2026 to 16/04/2026
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: An Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings Arranged by the Arts Council
    Venue: Walker Art Gallery
    Dates: from 16/04/2026 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: The Cosmic Sublime: Wright of Derby's 'A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery'
    Volume: 34
    Published Place: Montreal
    Published Year: 2015
  • Title: The New Child: British Art and the Origins of Modern Childhood, 1730-1830
    Published Year: 1995
  • 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.

A Philosopher giving that lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in the place of the sun

Date: exhibited 1766

Medium: Oil on canvas.

Object Type:Painting
Dimensions:Frame: 1810 × 2391 × 110 mm (71 1/4 × 94 1/8 × 4 5/16 in.) Support: 1473 × 2032 mm (58 × 80 in.)
Description:Painting of a natural philosopher giving a lecture to an audience of four men, a woman, and three children. They are gathered around an orrery, a working model of the Solar System, at the centre of which is an oil lamp. This is the only source of light in an otherwise dark interior. Painted by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734 - 1797). Oil on canvas, in gilded frame bearing a plaque that commemorates the presentation of the painting, by public subscription, to Derby Museums in 1884.
Provenance:Listed in Wright's Account Book as 'The Orrery'; purchased by Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers, by 1768, for £210.0.0; by descent to his brother, Robert Shirley, 6th Earl Ferrers; offered at his sale, Christie and Ansell, 3 June 1779 (lot 113), and bought in; offered at sale of Staunton Harold (Ferrers family home), 25 June 1787 (lot 54), bought by ‘Bruce’ or bought in; ...; with R. F. Forester in 1843; ...; offered by Messrs Woollat & Co., Derby, December 1851, transaction uncertain; ...; with Francis Wright (later Francis Osmaston) of Osmaston, Derby in 1870; by descent(?) to Jonathan Osmaston, of Osmaston, Derby by 1883; offered at sale of the Osmaston collection in 1884; purchased by public subscription and presented to Derby Museums in 1884.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1884-168
Browse Collection
Browse Collection