Who painted A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery and when?
A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery was painted by Joseph Wright of Derby in 1766. It was displayed at the Exhibition of 1766 of the Society of Artists.
Questions about A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Where is A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery displayed today?
The painting is on permanent display at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery. A working replica of the Grand Orrery depicted in the painting, built by John Gleave in 1993, is displayed alongside it.
Who bought A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery and for how much?
Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers, purchased the painting for two hundred and ten pounds at the Exhibition of 1766. The 6th Earl later auctioned it off, after which it passed to the Derby Museum and Art Gallery.
Who is the lecturer in A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery?
The identity of the central lecturer has been debated. Benedict Nicolson argued in 1968 the model was John Whitehurst; another commentator noted a resemblance to a portrait of Isaac Newton by Godfrey Kneller. Jonathan Powers, in his study of the painting, identifies the figure as John Arden, a scholar known for teaching the young Mary Wollstonecraft.
What is an orrery and why does it appear in Wright's painting?
An orrery is a mechanical model of the Solar System. Wright chose the orrery as his subject to show that scientific demonstrations could inspire the same awe previously reserved for religious painting.
Why did Joseph Wright of Derby use candlelight in A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery?
For the orrery demonstration, the central lamp representing the Sun was functionally necessary: its shadows were an essential part of the scientific display. Wright also valued candlelit settings for their dramatic intensity, a technique he had used the previous year in Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight (1765).