Study of a woodland landscape, the central focus being a group of trees growing upon a bank of rock. Inscribed to recto, lower right: 'J Wright', and verso: 'An original sketch by Josh. Wright Esqr.' The edges of the sheet are rough and the lower left corner is missing. Made by Joseph Wright (1734 - 1797), c.1774(?), ink and grey ink wash over pencil on paper. In 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: 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: 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 Drawings
    Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
    Dates: from 01/06/2013 to 20/09/2013
  • 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 Rocks and Trees

Date: c. 1774

Medium: Ink and grey ink wash over pencil on paper.

Object Type:Drawing
Dimensions:Support: 368 × 533 mm (14 1/2 × 21 in.)
Description:This study bears a strong resemblance to the subject of a drawing by John Downman (1750–1824) in Tate's collection, inscribed 'In the woods near Lerici / 19 miles from Rome JoD 1774' (Tate accession no T08880). As Wright and Downman travelled to Italy together, and visited and studied many of the same places and subjects, it is possible that these drawings were made around the same time; the two artists sketching the same area of woodland, albeit from slightly different viewpoints. This drawing (DBYMU1943-967) appears to have been loaned to a fellow artist (possibly Reverend Thomas Gisborne) in the 1780s as the basis for study and was the subject of a further drawing of the same, though not identical, scene. [LB, 2023] Study of rocks and trees, path running across foreground; The signature on this drawing has almost certainly been added by a later hand; the handwriting verso and signature does bear a strong resemblance to the inscriptions on two Wright drawings in the group 1921-837/1-7, (cat.222) which appear to have been passed by John Holland of Ford to Rev. Thomas Gisborne after Wright's death. The drawing itself is certainly connected to that group, although it entered the Museum collections from a different source over 20 years later. The location of this 'Study of Rocks and Trees' is the same as 1921-837/7 'Study of Rocks and Trees after Wright' (cat.224) which is dated 1782, and marked as a copy after Wright. The original was probably loaned and copied by Wright's friend the Rev. Thomas Gisborne; the copy stayed in his collection until his death. What is interesting, however, is that the two drawings depict the same 'Rocks and Trees' but shown from slightly differing viewpoints - as if the two artists sat and sketched the same location at slightly different positions (Wright and Gisborne went sketching together). [JW, 1997]
Inscriptions:Inscribed to recto, lower right: 'J Wright' and verso: 'An original sketch by Josh. Wright Esqr.'
Provenance:... ; with Dr H. W. Pooler of Stonebroom, Alfreton, Derbyshire in 1934, by whom donated to Derby Museums in 1943.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1943-967
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