Painting of the interior of a blacksmith's workshop, by night. At the centre of the scene, three male blacksmiths are in the process of beating a glowing iron ingot. Close by, to their right, three chidren and an older man, are present. To the left, visible through an archway, is a woman seated atop a horse, accompanied by two men. The workshop appears to have made in a ruined building, perhaps a church. Outisde, the moon appears and illuminates the clouds surrounding it. Inscribed to lower left, along the side of a tool tray on the floor: 'Jos. Wright Pinxt. /1771'. Painted by Joseph Wright of Derby (1734 - 1797). Oil on canvas in gilded frame.

Oil painting by Joseph Wright of Derby, 'The Blacksmith's shop', signed and dated 1771; see Nicolson cat.200, pl.101; purchased with grants from the V&A, NACF, Pilgrim Trust, Derbyshire County Council, Public Subscriptions and special funds from Derby City Council and Friends of the Museum; height 49 1/2 in. width 39 in.; Oil painting by Joseph Wright of Derby, 'The Blacksmith's shop', signed and dated 1771

Exhibitions:

Title: 12th Exhibition of the Society of Artists
Dates: from 16/04/1772 to 16/04/1772
Title: Wright of Derby
Venue: Tate Gallery
Dates: from 16/04/1990 to 16/04/1990
Title: Joseph Wright of Derby in Liverpool
Venue: Walker Art Gallery
Dates: from 17/11/2007 to 24/02/2008
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
Title: The Art of Industry: From Joseph Wright to the 21st Century
Venue: Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Dates: from 24/03/2018 to 17/06/2018
Title: Wright of Derby: From the Shadows
Venue: National Gallery
Dates: from 07/11/2025 to 01/11/2026

Publications

Title: Wright of Derby
Published Place: London
Copyright: The Tate Gallery
Published Year: 1990
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 (1734-1797) and Natural Philosophy: A New Perspective on his Artistic Intentions
Volume: XVIII
Published Place: London
Published Year: 2017

Related People

Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)
Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797
Nationality: British
Biography: Artist.

A Blacksmith's Shop

Date: 1771

Medium: Oil on canvas.

Object Type:	Painting
Dimensions:	Frame: 1515 × 1265 × 80 mm (59 5/8 × 49 13/16 × 3 1/8 in.) Support: 1257 × 990 mm (49 1/2 × 39 in.)
Description:	Between 1771 and 1773 Joseph Wright made a total of five dramatic paintings of iron-workers labouring by night, their actions lit by the white hot glow of a newly-forged iron bar. This humble subject, which was first popularised by Dutch artists in the 1600s, provided Wright with a suitable context through which to explore a range of natural and manmade light effects. It was also strikingly modern. Here, the ordinary labour of the blacksmiths appears heroic. Together with family nearby, the muscular and commanding figure of the blacksmith represents strength and stability; and perhaps by extension, is a symbol for the industrial and commercial wellbeing of the country at large.
Inscriptions:	‘Jos. Wright Pinxt. / 1771’ recto, lower left (along the side of a tool tray on the floor).
Provenance:	Sold to Mr Alexander of Edinburgh for £157.10.0; with Robert Alexander in 1772; sold by his executors, Christie's, 31 March 1775; bought by 'Martin' for £65.5.0;...; sale of Richard Price Jones Esq., Christie's, 26 February 1791, where sold for £51.9.0; sale of John Allnutt at Christie's, 19 June 1863, whereupon bought by Graves for £7.7.0; with Robert Hyde Greg before 1875, and thence by descent until purchased from the last owner's executors by Derby Museums in 1979.
Viewing Status:	Contact Us
Item Ref:	1979-598

Exhibitions:

Publications

Related People

Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)