Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-1797), a landscape and portrait painter of international renown was born and died in Derby. He has been called the first painter to truly capture the spirit of the Industrial Revolution.
Joseph Wright of Derby
The Reverend Thomas Wilson (1703–1784) and Miss Catherine Macaulay (1731–1791) by Joseph Wright of Derby
The lucrative nature of the portraiture business in Georgian England ensured that it was a highly competitive area. Artists worked hard to win favour amongst the elite classes.