Short answers, pulled from the story.
Joseph Wright of Derby was born on the 3rd of September 1734 in a house located at 28 Irongate, Derby. He grew up as the third child among five siblings under the watchful eyes of Hannah Brookes and his father John Wright.
Joseph Wright of Derby developed a signature style that emphasized extreme contrasts between light and dark areas known as tenebrism. This technique became the defining feature of his work by illuminating subjects with artificial sources like candles or fire rather than natural sunlight.
Josiah Wedgwood served as one of Joseph Wright of Derby's most important patrons throughout his career while Richard Arkwright also commissioned portraits from him. His friendship with Erasmus Darwin brought him into the orbit of the Lunar Society of Birmingham which included leading industrialists and scientists who met regularly in the English Midlands.
A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery completed in 1766 illustrates early mechanisms for demonstrating planetary movement around the Sun. An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump from 1768 shows people observing experiments into the nature of air while The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus painted in 1771 depicts Hennig Brand boiling urine to create spontaneous light.
Joseph Wright of Derby traveled to Italy with his pregnant wife Ann Swift and companion John Downman in 1773. Their ship took shelter in Nice for three weeks before reaching Livorno in February 1774 where he spent productive time in Naples observing Mount Vesuvius erupting multiple times.
Joseph Wright of Derby passed away on the 29th of August 1797 at No. 28 Queen Street and was initially buried in St Alkmund's Church grounds until its demolition in 1968 moved his remains to Nottingham Road Cemetery. A tombstone now stands inside Derby Cathedral near a memorial to Bess of Hardwick.