1797.) Original Memoirs of the late Mr. Wright of Derby. 
any other painter in that line had hither- 
todone. In moonlight likewife his pic- 
tures are allowed to hold the higheft 
rank, and it cannot be deemed an exay- 
geration to affert, that they remain unri- 
valled ; neither is it likely they will be ex- 
ceeded, until fome fuperior artift, pof- 
fefling a more refined tafte and correct 
judgment, will, like him, pafs his even- 
ings in ftudying the curious and delicate 
hues of objects under the various circum- 
ftances attendant upon fcenes of this na- 
ture, which have, by many painters, been 
confidered as compofed merely of black 
and white, without attention to the num- 
berlefs beautifui tints unnoticed by fu- 
_perficial obfervers, but which conftitute 
a principal excellence in Mr. Wright’s 
works. His judicious combination of 
fire and moon light has particularly at- 
traéted "the admiration of connoifleurs ; 
but this excellence was the refult of that 
accuracy of difcrimination, which was 
Mr. Wright’s great chara¢teriftic, and, 
“which led him to treat every circum- 
ftance with precifion, contending that nq 
part of a piéture ought to be left imper-~ 
feét, neither fhould a tint be introduced 
that was incongruous with the general 
harmony. 
If the portraits, which he painted, fall 
fhort of the grandeur and brilliance of 
Sir Joflfua’s beft works, they may juftly 
lay claim to the merit of truth and cor- 
reétnefs, and of giving, what he always 
aimed to arreft, the true character of na- 
ture. Had he refided in London there can 
be little doubt he would haye fhone in a 
very conf{picuous point of view in this 
more profitable occupation ; but, happily 
for the admirers of the higher branches 
of the art, he devoted his attention to. 
other objeéts, and his portraits are moftly 
confined to the immediate neighbourhood 
of Derby ; this remark may likewife, in 
a great degree, extend tothe generality 
of his works, as but few of his late pic- 
tures have- been publicly exhibited, 
owing to their being frequently difpofed 
of even before finifhed, and to a repug- 
nance which he felt at fending his works 
toan exhibition, where he had too much 
caufe to complain of their being very 
improperly placed, and fometimes even 
upon the ground, that, if poffible, they 
might efcape the public eye*. This nar- 

* As a proof of the truth of this remark, 
the laft’ pi€tures he exhibited were placed ufon 
the ground, in confequence of which they were 
fo much injured by the feet of the company 
as to render it neceflary to haye the frames re« 
paired and regilded, 
291 
row jealoufy, added to the circumftance 
of his being rejected as an R.A. at the 
time Mr. Gagvey was a fuccefsful candi- 
_ date, did not tend to increafe his opinion 
of the liberality of his brethren in‘ the 
profeffion. The academy, however, being 
afterwards aware of the impropricty of 
thus infulting a man of his abilities, de- 
puted their fecretary, Newton, to Derby, 
ta folicit his acceptance of a diploma, 
which he indignantly rejeéted, knowing 
how little the inftitution could ferve him, 
and feeling, perhaps, a fatisfaétion that 
his friend Mortimer and himfelf were 
both deemed equally wngualificd to enjoy 
the honors attached to that royal efta- 
blithment*. He was at yn early period 
appointed a member of the fociety of ar- 
tifts, to whofe exhibitions he contributed 
for many years, _ 
The hiftorical piétures which he paint- 
ed fince his return from Italy, have 
proved how equal he was to compofitions 
of that nature, and that, as acolourjft, he. 
may rank with the greateft matters, 
The carnations in that admirable pi¢ture 
ef the Dead Soldier, have fcarcely been 
exceeded in the Venetian fchool; and the 
anatomical correétne{s in the drawing of 
the figures, evinces how fuccefsfully he 
had ftudied that fundamental branch of 
the profeffion. Two piétures of Hero 
and Leander, one being a calm and the: 
other a ftormy night ;—the ftudent in 
Virgil’s Tomb;—Indian Widow and 
Lady in Comus, rank amongtt his greater 
works ; and, in feveral ftudies of chil- 
dren, fome playing with bladders, and 
ethers with lighted charcoal, he had op- 
portunities of indulging his powers of 
producing extraordinary effects. A fine 
cavern’ by moon light, in which he has 
introduced a large figure of Julia lament- 
ing her banifhment, in the poffeffion of 
D. Daulby, Efq. has, by many connoif- 
vfeurs, been confidered as one of his betk - 
performances, and particularly by thofe 
who admire the gufto of Michael Angelo 
which is eminently difplayed in that 
figure. ; 5 
His ftyle of landfcape painting is more 
varied, and confifls of a greater diverfity 
of fubjects than that of any other ar- 
tift whofe works we are acquainted 
* It being a notorious faét, chat Sir Jofhua 
Reynolds, Wilfon, Barrett, Gainsborough, Mor- 
timer, and Wright, with moft ‘refpe€table ar= 
tifts {till living, arrived at their eminence withoyt 
owing any obligations to the Royal Academy, 
it is a fair queftion to inquire how far the arts 
have advancedin confequence of that inftitution? 
‘with. 


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