The Blacksmith's Shop
Encyclopedia
The Blacksmith's Shop is a recurring theme of five paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby
. The version in his home town was originally completed in 1771.
Investigations of one of Wright's blacksmith's paintings has revealed the lengths that Wright went to achieve his image. Beneath the image of the ingot and hidden by layers of both yellow and white investigaters found a small piece of gold leaf that Wright had placed there two centuries before. The gold is not thought to have added to the painting, but Wright obviously thought it might in some way.
in St Petersburg and in The Tate in London. In these the main figure is working with a power forge whilst he is observed by his family. The nocturnal nature of Wright's "night pieces" was different to his contemporaries. The real novelty was however in the subject matter. Water powered forges were not new, but Wright was being innovative in proposing that these scenes could be the subject of a fine artist. For this reason Wrights paintings are frequently used as a symbol of the Industrial Revolution
and The Enlightenment. Wright was an important figure in relation to the Lunar Society
and Derby Philosophical Society
whose members were shaping the development of Science and Engineering in England.
In 1772, Wright created a 44 by 52 inch variation on this theme called The Iron Forge which was sold to Lord Palmerston for 200 pounds. This version is still in the Parmerstone family. Another 41 by 55 inch version titled An Iron Forge viewed from without was sold to Empress Catherine of Russia. Catherine the great later bought two other Wright paintings; one was of fireworks and another was from his Vesuvius paintings, however the painting of the forge was considered the best of the three.
Another 1771 version was titled The Blacksmith's Shop and this sold to the 1st Lord Melbourne. It remained in the Melbourne family until it was purchased and given to Down House where it joined the collection in memory of Charles Darwin
. This version is now in the Mellon collection.
An Iron Forge develops the idea of blacksmith's shop which is a craft that has changed little on hundreds of years. Forges seen in the 1772 pension show the addition of water powered hammers that allow the forger to stand proud before his family. The painting is in the Tate. A similar painting of a forge but viewed from outside is in the Hermitage Museum.
in 1979 for approximately 69,000 pounds from the Greg family who had owned it since 1875.
Joseph Wright of Derby
Joseph Wright , styled Wright of Derby, was an English landscape and portrait painter. He has been acclaimed as "the first professional painter to express the spirit of the Industrial Revolution"....
. The version in his home town was originally completed in 1771.
Description
Joseph Wright of Derby painted five paintings on the theme of a blacksmith's shop or a forge between the years 1771 and 1773. The Derby Museum version is of a blacksmith's shop where three men work to manufacture an iron or steel component. The presence of visitors and the nocturnal work is explained by the farrier working outside. Wright has imagined that a traveler has broken down on a journey and the farrier is therefore working by the light of a candle. This device allows Wright to show off his skill and interest in light and shadow. To the right of the picture is an idle man leaning on a stick. Nicholson notes that this person is not dealt with harshly but with respect. The man appears too old to work but offers gravitas to those that are.Investigations of one of Wright's blacksmith's paintings has revealed the lengths that Wright went to achieve his image. Beneath the image of the ingot and hidden by layers of both yellow and white investigaters found a small piece of gold leaf that Wright had placed there two centuries before. The gold is not thought to have added to the painting, but Wright obviously thought it might in some way.
Other versions
Later versions which involve a forge rather than a blacksmith's more traditional way of working are now in the Hermitage MuseumHermitage Museum
The State Hermitage is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums of the world, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been opened to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display,...
in St Petersburg and in The Tate in London. In these the main figure is working with a power forge whilst he is observed by his family. The nocturnal nature of Wright's "night pieces" was different to his contemporaries. The real novelty was however in the subject matter. Water powered forges were not new, but Wright was being innovative in proposing that these scenes could be the subject of a fine artist. For this reason Wrights paintings are frequently used as a symbol of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
and The Enlightenment. Wright was an important figure in relation to the Lunar Society
Lunar Society
The Lunar Society of Birmingham was a dinner club and informal learned society of prominent figures in the Midlands Enlightenment, including industrialists, natural philosophers and intellectuals, who met regularly between 1765 and 1813 in Birmingham, England. At first called the Lunar Circle,...
and Derby Philosophical Society
Derby Philosophical Society
The Derby Philosophical Society was a club for gentleman in Derby founded in 1783 by Erasmus Darwin. The club had many notable members and also offered the first institutional library in Derby that was available to some section of the public.-History:...
whose members were shaping the development of Science and Engineering in England.
In 1772, Wright created a 44 by 52 inch variation on this theme called The Iron Forge which was sold to Lord Palmerston for 200 pounds. This version is still in the Parmerstone family. Another 41 by 55 inch version titled An Iron Forge viewed from without was sold to Empress Catherine of Russia. Catherine the great later bought two other Wright paintings; one was of fireworks and another was from his Vesuvius paintings, however the painting of the forge was considered the best of the three.
Another 1771 version was titled The Blacksmith's Shop and this sold to the 1st Lord Melbourne. It remained in the Melbourne family until it was purchased and given to Down House where it joined the collection in memory of Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
. This version is now in the Mellon collection.
An Iron Forge develops the idea of blacksmith's shop which is a craft that has changed little on hundreds of years. Forges seen in the 1772 pension show the addition of water powered hammers that allow the forger to stand proud before his family. The painting is in the Tate. A similar painting of a forge but viewed from outside is in the Hermitage Museum.
Provenance
The 1771 painting was bought by the ArtFund and Derby Museum and Art GalleryDerby Museum and Art Gallery
Derby Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1879, along with Derby Central Library, in a new building designed by Richard Knill Freeman and given to Derby by Michael Thomas Bass. The collection includes a whole gallery displaying the paintings of Joseph Wright of Derby; there is also a large...
in 1979 for approximately 69,000 pounds from the Greg family who had owned it since 1875.