Portrait of a man, called Erasmus Darwin; three-quarter length, turned to the left, and holding a quill. He wears a grey-brown coat with cloth-covered buttons, mustard yellow waistcoat, and plain white neckcloth. His hair or wig is powdered, curled and tied back. Painted by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734 - 1797). Oil on canvas in gilded frame. Unglazed.

Exhibitions:

Title: Joseph Wright of Derby
Venue: Norwich Castle Museum
Dates: from 03/01/1959 to 01/02/1959
Title: Extraordinary Portraits of Ordinary People: Paintings by Emma Tooth and Joseph Wright
Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Dates: from 03/07/2010 to 12/09/2010
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

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

Erasmus Darwin (Content)
Display Date: British, 1731 - 1802
Nationality: British
Biography: Physician
Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)
Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797
Nationality: British
Biography: Artist.

Erasmus Darwin

Date: 1792

Medium: Oil on canvas

Object Type:	Painting
Dimensions:	Frame: 904 × 779 × 58 mm (35 9/16 × 30 11/16 × 2 5/16 in.) Support: 762 × 635 mm (30 × 25 in.)
Description:	Best known for his work as a medical doctor, Erasmus Darwin was a deeply intelligent and sociable man with a range of talents and interests. This portrait is a high quality copy of an original by Joseph Wright, probably made in response to the demand for portraits of Darwin among his wide circle of friends and family members. This portrait celebrates Darwin following the publication of his bestselling scientific poem 'The Botanic Garden'. In this poem, Darwin introduced new ideas about evolution that were later taken up by his grandson, Charles Darwin. Darwin founded the Derby Philosophical Society, which in turn helped establish our Museum and Art Gallery. He was Wright's friend and doctor and was a pioneer in the treatment of mental ill health, including Wright's own.
Provenance:	...; Galton sale (sale of the contents of The Leys, Claverdon, Warwickshire) in October 1954; purchased by Colnaghi's, from whom purchased by Derby Museums in 1955.
Viewing Status:	Contact Us
Item Ref:	1955-267