Portrait of a man called Thomas Bennett. He faces slightly to the right, his left hand tucked into his waistcoat. Though his right hand is out of sight, the position of his right arm indicates that it is probably resting on his waist or hip and draws his coat back to reveal his waiscoat. He wears a deep green coat with a velvet collar and silver buttons. His waistcaot is of the same green colour, its button holes edged in silver lace with what appear to be matching embroidered or covered silver buttons. A lace jabot froths from his waiscoat and his left hand is ringed by a lace flounce or cuff. He appears to wear a neat powdered wig and appears against a plain, tan coloured background. Oil on canvas in a carved and gilded Rococco frame.

Exhibitions:

  • Title: Art & Industrial Exhibition
    Venue: Corn Exchange, Derby
    Dates: from 25/09/1866 to
  • 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: 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

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

  • Thomas Bennett (Content)

  • Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)

    Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797

    Nationality: British

    Biography: Artist.

Thomas Bennett

Date: c. 1760

Medium: Oil on canvas.

Object Type:Painting
Dimensions:Frame: 915 × 780 mm (36 × 30 11/16 in.) Support: 762 × 635 mm (30 × 25 in.)
Description:Listed twice in Wright's Account Book. The first entry (page 6v), as indeed the whole page, is crossed through. The second entry occurs on page 16v. In both cases, the portrait appears alongside the portraits of Thomas and Ann Borrow and the Shuttleworth family. The latter portrait is dated 1764. Benendict Nicholson felt that Wright's portrait of Bennett had an earlier appearance, on stylistic grounds, than its position in the Account Book would suggest, and listed it with a date of 1760. This was followed by Jane Wallis, who gives a date of c.1760.
Provenance:Listed (twice, the earlier entry crossed through) in Joseph Wright's Account Book as 'A 3 qrs of Mr Thos. Bennet Pd X 6.6.0'; ...; by descent to Mrs. Bennett in 1866; ...; with Mrs. J. H. Powell in 1934; bequeathed to Derby Museums by Mrs J. H. Powell of Normanton, Derby, in 1960.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1961-510
Browse Collection
Browse Collection