A Light in the Dark

The dramatic "candlelight" paintings of Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797) cast a spell, enthralling viewers with striking scenes that portray human curiosity, the quiet intensity of domestic life, and the excitement of scientific discovery. With a variety of brushstrokes-dabbed here, whiskered there, and dragged elsewhere-Wright pushed boundaries with the transformative power of light. In 2020, the Getty Museum acquired the newly rediscovered Two Boys with a Bladder (1767), a luminous study of innovation, intimacy, and artistic brilliance that challenged established assumptions about Wright and sparked renewed interest in his experiments with light.

A Light in the Dark presents new research to uncover the origins of Two Boys, and expand our understanding of his early candlelights, tracing the invention and initial development of Wright's distinctive style. Whereas recent scholarship has maintained an outward approach that ties the artist's oeuvre to places that he visited, this volume returns the focus to Wright himself-his biography, technique, and hometown of Derby-in a much-needed reexamination. Complete with fresh historical and technical evidence, this is a fascinating look into the inspirations, aspirations, and experiments behind some of the most remarkable paintings in the history of British art.