Drawing of the interior of a glass house, with a domed furnace at its centre, surrounded by wooden beams and supports. To the left, a staircase leads upwards, and a bundle of loose sticks stands propped against the wall. Behind the furnace, two arched openings can be seen, the left of which appears to to have an 'arrow-slit' window. The right arch is filled with logs for the furnace. To the far right of the scene, a stick is propped against a wall and, next to this, a long, low trough. Made by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797), c.1770-1775. Pen and ink and grey wash on paper. Displayed in a cream window mount.

Exhibitions:

  • 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: 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: 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: Joseph Wright of Derby, 1734-1797: Bicentenary Exhibition
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 21/06/1997 to 28/09/1997
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby in Liverpool
    Venue: Walker Art Gallery
    Dates: from 17/11/2007 to 24/02/2008
  • Title: The Art of Industry: From Joseph Wright to the 21st Century
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 24/03/2018 to 17/06/2018
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: Life on Paper
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 23/05/2025 to 07/09/2025
  • 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: Joseph Wright of Derby 1734 - 1797
    Sub-Title: An introduction to the work of Joseph Wright of Derby with a catalogue of drawings held by Derby Museum and Art Gallery. Published on the occasion of an exhibition commemorating the Bicentenary of the artist's death.
    Published Place: Derby
    Published Year: 1997
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: Painter of Light
    Sub-Title: Volume 1
    Volume: 1
    Published Place: London
    Copyright: Benedict Nicolson, 1968
    Published Year: 1968

Related People

  • Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)

    Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797

    Nationality: British

    Biography: Artist.

Study of the Interior of a Glass House (No.2)

Date: 1770-1775

Medium: Pen and ink and grey wash on paper.

Object Type:Drawing
Dimensions:Support: 362 × 527 mm (14 1/4 × 20 3/4 in.)
Description:One of two studies of the interior of a glass house (see also: DBYMU 1914-517/57). Listed in Wright's posthumous sale at Christie's, 1801, is 'The Glass-House, a Sketch , the Fire exceedingly well expressed', and sold for ~3.10s. to Vernon. This could have been one of the two pen and wash 'Interiors of a Glass House' in this catalogue, or it could be an oil sketch, now untraced. How dramatic this study would have been, if Wright had applied colour! With the furnace glowing a bright iridescent red, it would then have been easier to make sense of what we are viewing; and also why Wright was interested in recording, with such detail and precision, such a strange subject. David Fraser suggests this (and the following) study, may have been made in one of the glass factories established around 1769 by Lunar Society member James Kier. Kier's importance as a possible source for the 'Alchymist', (1771 and 1795), (cat.89), has already been noted. If Wright made these studies at these sites, it is not surprising that Wright locates his other paintings of the 'Alchymist' (1771 and 1795) and the 'Blacksmith's Shop', 1771, (plate l0) in ancient ruined buildings, he may well have depicted the reality of the sites. The 'arrow-slit' window, which appears almost like a crucifix on top of the furnace, echoed by the central vertical support crossing the horizontal rafters above, and appears to add religious symbolism to what is already a mysterious and 'other worldly' composition. [Wallis, J. 'Joseph Wright of Derby 1734 - 1797' (Derby, 1997), p.70.] Fraser suggests that this study, and the related drawing (DBYMU 1914-517/58), may have been made in James Keir's glass factory, established in 1769. [Fraser, D. 'Joseph Wright of Derby' (Derby, 1979), cat. 63.] However, Judy Egerton argues that they could have been made at Josiah Wedgewood's glass-houses at Etruria. Wedgewood had a keen interest in improving glass-making and discussed the subject at length with Keir, before publishing a paper for the Royal Society around 1783. As such, Egerton questions the dating of c.1770-2 that is given to these drawings and proposes c.1779-84 when Wright was working on 'The Corinthian Maid' and 'Penelope' for Wedgewood and making visits to Etruria. [see Egerton, J. (1990), p.96-7.] Elizabeth Barker posits a potential connection through Wright's Liverpool portrait sitters and notes the presence of numerous glass-houses in the city, incuding close to Wright's residence on Duke Street. Barker also notes that the dates for these drawings is uncertain and suggests c.1770-1773. [See Barker, E. (2007), p.182.] Interestingly, the presence of a number, handwritten in ink, to the top left of the drawing matches the system used by Wright whilst in Italy. I have therefore tentatively expanded the date range further again, to include Wright's Italian tour up 1775. [LB: 2024] Nicolson noted that the drawings were probably made in preparation for a painting. He records that a picture described as 'The Glass-House, a Sketch', was listed in Wright's posthumous sale at Christie's in 1801 (no.24). [see Nicolson, B. 'Joseph Wright of Derby: Painter of Light' (1968), p.121.]
Inscriptions:Inscribed on recto, to top left (handwritten in ink): '12' (possibly a 2, but part of the number missing due to a pin hole).
Provenance:...; with William Bemrose of Derby in 1883; by descent to his son, Charles Lloyd Bemrose, by whom donated to Derby Museums in 1914.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1914-517/58
Browse Collection
Browse Collection