Exhibitions:

  • 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: 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 in Italy. Joseph Wright of Derby's Visit Abroad, 1773-5
    Venue: Fraser, David
    Dates: from 08/08/1987 to 20/09/1987
  • Title: Wright of Derby
    Venue: Tate Gallery
    Dates: from 15/04/1990 to 15/04/1990
  • 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: 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: 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

Related People

  • Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)

    Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797

    Nationality: British

    Biography: Artist.

Study of Terrain near Vesuvius

Date: 1774

Medium: Black chalk over pencil on laid paper.

Object Type:Drawing
Dimensions:Support: 346 × 483 mm (13 5/8 × 19 in.)
Description:The soft and sensitive rendering of the harsh topographical detail of 'the Terrain Near Vesuvius' gives the chalk study a beguiling yet menacing feel, the iron fist of nature swathed in a velvet glove. Elements of this study were used in Wright's 'Vesuvius in Eruption, with a View over the Islands in the Bay of Naples' c.1776-80 (Tate Gallery, London). [Wallis, J. 'Joseph Wright of Derby' (1997), p.80.] Inscriptions on this drawing, and others in the same group (DBYMU 1921-837), suggest that it was given to Gisborne by John Holland of Ford in 1798, the year after Wright died. Holland served as an executor to Wright's will and was responsible for dispersing the contents of his studio. [LB: 2024] Yoxall Lodge and its contents were sold at auction, conducted by Messrs Winterton & Sons of Lichfield, between 7 and 9 September 1921. This is recorded in an advertisement in the Tamworth Herald for Saturday 3 September, in which it mentions 'oil paintings by Bogdani and Joseph Wright, ARA.' The advertisement states that a catalogue was available, but I have not been able to locate this so far. It is assumed that Crosland purchased the portfolio of drawings at the auction and sold it to DM shortly afterwards. [LB: 2024]
Inscriptions:Inscribed on the recto, to top left corner (handwritten in ink): '21'; verso (handwritten in pencil): 'This drawing was done by Mr Wright of Derby / and was given to Mr Gisborne by Mr. Holland of Ford'; verso, top right: 'T G 1798'; verso, lower centre: 'The hon-ble Mrs W E Griffith'.
Provenance:With Wright's executor, John Holland of Ford Hall, Derbyshire, by whom given to Reverend Thomas Gisborne of Yoxall Lodge, Staffordshire, in 1798; thence by descent to the Hon. Mrs Emily Wingfield Gisborne (later the Hon. Mrs Emily Wingfield Griffiths) of Yoxall Lodge, by whom sold Winterton & Sons of Lichfield, 7-9 September 1921; purchased by E. Crosland of Derby, from whom purchased by Derby Museums in 1921.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1921-837/2
Browse Collection
Browse Collection