Exhibitions:

  • Title: Joseph Wright of Derby, 1734-1797: Bicentenary Exhibition
    Venue: Wallis, Jane
    Dates: from 21/06/1997 to 28/09/1997
  • 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.
    Author: Wallis, Jane
    Published Place: Derby
    Published Year: 1997
  • Title: Creative Quarters: The Art World in London 1700-2000
    Author: Kit Wedd
    Published Place: London
    Published Year: 2001

Related People

  • Joseph Wright of Derby (Artist)

    Display Date: British, 1734 - 1797

    Nationality: British

    Biography: Artist.

  • Thomas Hudson (After)

    Display Date: British, 1701 - 1779

    Nationality: British

Study of Thomas Hudson

Date: c. 1751

Medium: Black and white chalk on blue paper.

Object Type:Drawing
Dimensions:Support: 362 × 292 mm (14 1/4 × 11 1/2 in.)
Description:Identification of subject as Thomas Hudson made by Leger Galleries Ltd. who also felt it likely that it was produced from life. Thomas Hudson, (1701-1779), along with his rival the Scottish artist Allan Ramsay, (1713-1784), were the premier portrait painters of the day. Only with the rise of Sir Joshua Reynolds in the 1760s (who had also trained with Hudson), did they lose this position. Wright trained in Hudson's studio during the periods 1751-3 and 1755-7, and would have had to pay a high fee for his apprenticeship in this busy and fashionable studio. One of the strengths of this archive of drawings is the light they shed on this training process itself. It is possible to chart Wright's progress and increasing confidence - through the 'early red chalks' to accomplished life portrait studies such as this. It is interesting to speculate on the background to this, and the second similar portrait of Hudson (cat.62). Could the Master himself have sat to his apprentices as a kind of test of their abilities? Whatever the truth, the two portraits of this famous sitter, reveal Wright's early ability to capture a strong and penetrating likeness whilst at the same time providing what must be one of the best portraits known of this important figure in British Art. [from J. Wallis, 'Joseph Wright of Derby', 1997, p.61.] This is one of two portrait studies of the same subject (see 1996-1/93A). The insciption on this example, 'Mr Hudson', suggests that both were of Wright's master, Thomas Hudson (1701 - 1779).
Inscriptions:Inscribed to lower right (handwritten in black chalk): 'Mr Hudson'.
Provenance:Purchased from David Posnett, Leger Galleries Ltd., 1995.
Viewing Status:Contact Us
Item Ref:1996-1/17
Browse Collection
Browse Collection