Year of Wright
Born in Derby in 1734, Joseph Wright of Derby is an internationally renowned artist, whose paintings and works on paper adorn the walls of major galleries the world over. Derby Museums is home to the world’s largest collection of his work.
The Year of Wright is running in 2025-26 in Derby, London and online. Discover the city that shaped one of the UK’s most original and visionary painters.
Why Derby? Because there is no Wright without Derby
The city was Wright’s lifelong home, the setting for many of his most famous paintings, and a major centre of the 18th-century scientific and industrial networks that fuelled his imagination. He was a painter of huge versatility, and it is hoped people will discover or re-discover him as part of the Year of Wright.
Joseph Wright of Derby: Life on Paper. Exhibition preview
An exhibition exploring the life and work of one of Britain's best loved artists. Peel back the curtain and get up close and personal with Wright's inspirations throughout his life, from landscapes to family.
The first major exhibition dedicated to the British artist’s ‘candlelight’ paintings. In partnership with the National Gallery, we celebrate and look again at his most admired works.
An exhibition exploring the life and work of one of Britain’s best loved artists.
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