Drawing of the interior of a room, with the figure of a semi-nude man lying on the floor, his ankles shackled. Above him is a hanging lantern. Identified as a study for the now lost painting titled 'The Captive King', by Joseph Wright of Derby. Along the bottom edge of the drawing is a scale bar and, to the left and right, the vanishing points are marked. Inscribed below drawing (handwritten in ink): 'Scale of [illegible] Inches', and to left (handwritten in ink): 'vanishing / point / [?] Inches from mark', and to right (handwritten in ink): 'Horizontal / line' and 'vanishing / point'. On the verso is a letter. Made by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797), or Peter Perez Burdett (1734-1793), c. 1772-73. Pen and ink and ink wash, with pencil, 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 15/04/1883 to 15/04/1883
  • 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: 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: Drawings by Joseph Wright of Derby
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 31/03/1990 to 22/04/1990
  • 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: Gothic Nightmares
    Venue: Tate Britain
    Dates: from 15/02/2006 to 01/05/2006
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby in Liverpool
    Venue: Walker Art Gallery
    Dates: from 17/11/2007 to 24/02/2008
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: Life on Paper
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 23/05/2025 to 07/09/2025

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
  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby: Painter of Darkness
    Published Place: London
    Published Year: 2020

Related People

  • Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)

    Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797

    Nationality: British

    Biography: Artist.

  • Peter Perez Burdett (Artist)

    Display Date: British, 1733 - 1793

    Nationality: British

    Biography: Cartographer; artist.

Recto: Study for 'The Captive King'

Date: c. 1772-1773

Medium: Pen and ink and ink wash, with pencil, on laid paper.

Object Type:Drawing
Dimensions:Support: 337 × 397 mm (13 1/4 × 15 5/8 in.) Overall (Frame): 539 × 574 × 15 mm
Description:For letter on verso see DBYMU 1914-517/78B. Wright's painting of 'The Captive King', 1772-3 is now lost, but this study on the back of a letter from Burdett is one of three in existence that provide evidence of the composition. Nicolson believes the crucifix which can be seen propped against the pillar (left) provides the clue to the source of the painting. The 'Captive King' is Guy de Lusignan, a young Frankish King, who was imprisoned by Saladin at Nablus, after his defeat by the Saracens in 1187. Wright's Account Book later lists a painting 'Guy de Lusignan in Prison' which is believed to refer to the same painting. Just as for 'The Alchymist' (plate 9), Wright appears to have sent the study requesting advice from his friend Burdett. The text of the letter (verso) is confusing with its references to a barn and a ship; however as the text is incomplete it could refer to another drawing sent to Burdett on the same occasion. [see Wallis, J. 'Joseph Wright of Derby' (1997), p.100.] The finished painting was exhibited with the Society of Artists in spring 1773. The drawing is therefore dated by Nicolson c.1772-1773. Two related studies are in private ownership (illustrated in Nicolson, 1968, volume 2, plates 109, 110, 111). These are accompanied by letters transcribed by Benedict Nicolson (see BN, 1968, vol. 1, p.120), dated November 1772 and Xmas Day 1772 respectively. Nicolson suggests that they both post-date the letter here. In these letters, Wright appears to seek help with a new perspective method recommended to him by Burdett, which would explain the scale and vanishing points that have been marked out on the present drawing. Matthew Craske identifies the subject of 'The Captive King' as having been based on a play by Voltaire. He also places the picture within the context of numerous works that Wright was producing in the early 1770s, which focused on old age, death, and decay. Craske points out the influence of Burdett in the choice of such subjects, such as the use of a vaulted setting, and including prospective buyers for these works (in the case of 'The Captive King', the Margrave of Baden (who would later become Burdett's patron). He notes that the finished painting did not travel to Baden and remained on the artist's hands, despite an attempt to sell it at his one man show at Covent Garden in 1785. It was offered in Wright's posthumous studio sale in 1801, and eventually made its way into the posession of his descendents, before disappearing. [see Craske, M. 'Joseph Wright of Derby: Painter of Darkness' (2020), pp.148-150; 202-203.] The general consensus is that Wright made this drawing, however it would appear that the inscriptions on it were made by Burdett. [see Barker, E. 'Joseph Wright of Derby in Liverpool' (2007), p.174.] Whether he was also responsible for the drawing, or merely annotated it, is uncertain. He was responsible for the prison scenery, as revealed in a letter of 13 November in which Wright asked Burdett's permission to use it.
Inscriptions:Inscribed below drawing (handwritten in ink): 'Scale of [illegible] Inches', and to left (handwritten in ink): 'vanishing / point / [?] Inches from mark', and to right (handwritten in ink): 'Horizontal / line' and 'vanishing / point'.
Provenance:...; William Bemrose of Derby; by descent to his son, Charles Lloyd Bemrose, by whom donated to Derby Museums in 1914.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1914-517/78A
Browse Collection
Browse Collection