Читать книгу The Life and Works of Joseph Wright, A.R.A, commonly called "Wright of Derby" - William Bemrose - Страница 9

Table of Contents

Candle-Light Subjects.—“The Gladiator” Picture.—Commences to Paint Landscapes in 1772.—List of Pictures Exhibited at the Society of Artists’ Rooms.—List of Pictures Exhibited at the Royal Academy.—Wright holds an Exhibition in 1785, of his Own Works, in London.—Wright’s Generosity in Giving Pictures to his Friends.—Wright, a Pioneer in Water-Colour Painting.

It is interesting to note in the life of an artist who showed such varied talents, at what periods he entered on the different walks of art, which he trod with such success. We know that Wright painted portraits only whilst under Hudson’s tuition; and even for several years after his second period of study under that master, which was during the year 1756, he seems to have attempted nothing else. We are also able to all but fix the dates of many of his early candle-light and historical subjects, because they were exhibited at the rooms of the Society of Artists.[7] The first of these appeared in 1765, and was called “Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator[8] by Candle-light.” In the same way we can fix approximately the date of his first landscape as 1772.

From such records we may also conclude with some certainty that it was Wright’s own innate genius that impelled him to study those effects of artificial light with which his name is so strongly associated, for hitherto no English painter had attempted them, and he did not leave England till 1773.

His visit to Italy, in 1774–5, where he saw a grand Eruption of Vesuvius, merely turned his natural predilection for strange effects of light into a new channel. This eruption may be said to have been the father of his numerous landscapes of volcanoes and conflagrations. Of the eruption alone he painted about eighteen pictures, each of which was treated in a manner differing more or less from the rest. In his striking pictures of sun and moonlight, which also began about this time, we see the same love for unusual and powerful effects of light.

From a letter in the possession of Lord Lansdowne, the owner of “The Gladiator,” which, by the courtesy of his lordship, I am able to transcribe, we learn that this picture was not sold until the year 1772. In Wright’s MS. book the price named is £40. and Dr. Bates is entered as the purchaser. This price must be an error, or only a part payment, as will be seen from the letter, which is from Wright to Dr. Bates, and was sold with the picture. There is little doubt that this was the picture mentioned in the letter, although it is not referred to by name.

“Derby, 12th September, 1772.

“Dear Sir,

“Last night I received a letter from our friend Burdett, whereby I understood you consent to give me £130 for the picture. I must let it go at that price, as I am under a necessity of immediately raising £1,200 on a mortgage, and have only £1,000 by me, it was on this account I offered it to you at 125 guineas. I shall say no more on the subject, only desire for my interest, you will never mention what you gave for it, as it might much injure me in the future sale of my pictures, and when I send you a receipt for the money I shall acknowledge a greater sum.

“I wish it may be convenient for you to remit me the money immediately, as Michaelmas is the time fixed for the payment of the money, and though I have lent more money than I now want, upon the person’s bare note, and without interest, I know not a man that would lend me a hundred pounds without high interest and good security. You see how I am circumstanced, and have no doubt but you’ll immediately assist me with the money if you can. I think myself much obliged to you for offering me the assistance any of your pictures can give me.

“I am, with compliments to Mrs. Bates, though not known,

“Dear sir,

“Your affectionate friend,

“JO. WRIGHT.”

Upon examining the following list of his pictures exhibited at the Rooms of the Society of Artists, it will be noticed that for ten years, from 1765 to 1775, only one landscape is mentioned; but on his return from Italy, in 1776, he exhibited his first picture of Vesuvius, and from this date he evidently paid much more attention to landscape, and almost ceased to paint candle-light effects, which, up to that date, had, with portraiture, almost entirely engrossed his pencil.

Whilst in Italy he made many landscape sketches from nature, which supplied him on his return to England with the greater part of the material for the landscapes he produced from 1775 to within a few years of his death, although these were interspersed with scenes from Scotland, Derbyshire, and the Lake District.

Wright was at an early period elected a member of the Society of Artists, to whose exhibitions in the Spring Gardens he contributed many years, as will be seen from the following lists extracted from the catalogues. It is to be regretted that at this date it was not the custom to mention in catalogues the names of the persons whose portraits were exhibited, and in consequence of the lapse of time, it is now often impossible to identify them.