Vesuvius in Eruption (Wright painting)

Series of paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby

Vesuvius from Posillipo by Joseph Wright of Derby (Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut) Vesuvius from Portici by Joseph Wright of Derby (Huntington Library, San Marino, California)

Vesuvius in Eruption is the subject of a series of thirty paintings and at least one preliminary sketch by Joseph Wright of Derby, who travelled in Italy in the years 1773-1775. It appears that whilst Wright was in Italy Vesuvius was not erupting.[1]

## The paintings

[edit]

Wright is thought to have painted Vesuvius over thirty times in his career.[1] One of Wright's Vesuvius paintings known as Vesuvius from Portici, is held at the Huntington Library at San Marino in California. A second, known by the title Vesuvius in Eruption, with a View over the Islands in the Bay of Naples is in Tate Britain in London. A third, Vesuvius from Posillipo, can be seen at the Yale Center for British Art, while a fourth, known under almost the same title, is in a private collection.

The painting in the Tate has been chemically analysed to find that the bright yellow is due to the element sulphur whilst the ground for the painting is based on gypsum rather than chalk and that has led to speculation that this was painted in Italy.[2] It is not uncommon for Wright to arrange his compositions. The Tate painting does show the view to be between Sorrento and the Island of Capri, but from the walk up to Vesuvius you cannot see the two islands of Procida and Ischia which are included.[3] Surprisingly it appears that at the time when Wright was in Italy, Vesuvius was not erupting, but he may have seen something that was briefly as impressive.[1]

There is a gouache sketch of a view of Vesuvius, made in 1774 during Wright's Italian travels, among the collection of his works in Derby Museum and Art Gallery. This sketch is thought to be so quickly and carelessly done that it is thought to have been created at the scene. Benedict Nicolson, Wright's biographer, imagines him traveling up to the volcano with the vulcanologist and diplomat Sir William Hamilton who may have been a guide on these climbs.[4]

## References in other works

[edit]

It was said that one of Wright's Vesuvius paintings was commissioned by an Irish bishop. When the painting was near completion the bishop visited to see the work and presumably to try to reduce the price. The bishop made such deprecating comments about the work that Wright decided to keep the painting and this story was made into a poem by Wright's friend William Hayley and eventually published in The Reliquary.[5]

The Portici painting is used as the cover art for Frederik Pohl's novel All the Lives He Led and also on the cover of The Vesuvian Affair by Cosima Zanardi.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Vesuvius in Eruption, with a View over the Islands in the Bay of Naples circa 1776-80". The Tate. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
2. ^ Jones, Rica (1991). "Notes for conservators on wright of Derby's technique and studio practice". The Conservaroe. 15: 13–32\. doi:10.1080/01410096.1991.9995061. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
3. ^ "Vesuvius in Eruption". The Tate. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
4. ^ Nicolson, Benedict (1968). Joseph Wright of Derby: painter of light, Volume 1. Paul Mellon Foundation. p. 76\. ISBN 9780710062840.
5. ^ The Art journal , Volume 5; Volume 18; Volume 28 p. 378. Virtue & Co. 1866.

## Other versions

[edit]

* Vesuvius in Eruption, with a View over the Islands in the Bay of Naples (Tate Britain, London)

* View of Vesuvius from Posillipo (private collection)

* Colour sketch of 1774 (Derby Museum and Art Gallery)

## Further reading

[edit]

* Benedict Nicolson, Joseph Wright of Derby: painter of light (1968) Selected pages at Google Books

* v
* t
* e

Joseph Wright of Derby

Paintings|

* Thomas Borrow and Ann Borrow (1762–63)
* Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight (1765)
* A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery (1766)
* An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768)
* Two Girls Dressing a Kitten by Candlelight (c. 1768)
* A Philosopher by Lamplight (c. 1769)
* The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus (1771)
* The Blacksmith's Shop (1771)
* An Iron Forge (1772)
* Miravan Breaking Open the Tomb of his Ancestors (1772)
* The Earthstopper (1773)
* Grotto in the Gulf of Salerno (1774)
* The Captive (1774)
* Vesuvius from Posillipo by Moonlight (1774)
* Portrait of Sir Brooke Boothby (1781)
* Indian Widow (1783/84)
* Dovedale by Moonlight (1784)
* Romeo and Juliet: the Tomb Scene (1790)

Series|

* Vesuvius in Eruption (1773–1775)
* Virgil's Tomb (1779, 1782, 1785)

Drawings|

* The Captive King (1772)

Museums|

* Derby Museum and Art Gallery

* v
* t
* e

Derby Museum and Art Gallery

Artists|

* Francis Leggatt Chantrey
* Ernest Ellis Clark
* W. J. Coffee
* Derby Sketching Club
* Harry Fidler
* Harold Gresley
* Count Holtzendorff
* Richard Hurleston
* Alfred John Keene
* Henry Lark Pratt
* David Payne
* Ronald Pope
* Samuel Rayner
* Louise Rayner
* Thomas Smith
* William Tate
* Ernest Townsend
* George Turner
* Joseph Wright of Derby

Geology|

* Ashford Black Marble
* John Farey
* William Martin
* Matlockite
* John Mawe
* White Watson
* John Whitehurst

Decorative arts|

* Bonnie Prince Charlie Room

Military history|

* 9th/12th Royal Lancers
* William Goate
* Robert Kells
* Francis O. Grenfell
* David Rushe
* David Spence
* Gen. Johnson Saving Officer from Tomahawk

Natural history|

* Allenton hippo
* King of Rome
* William Richardson Linton
* William Hunt Painter
* Joseph Whittaker

Joseph Wright
paintings and drawings|

* Richard Arkwright
* Grotto in the Gulf of Salerno
* A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery
* Indian Widow
* Romeo and Juliet: the Tomb Scene
* Miravan Breaking Open the Tomb of his Ancestors
* The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus
* Virgil's Tomb
* The Blacksmith's Shop
* The Earthstopper
* A Philosopher by Lamplight
* Samuel Ward
* The Captive
* The Captive King
* Dovedale
* Thomas Borrow and Ann Borrow
* Vesuvius in Eruption

Porcelain|

* Chelsea porcelain factory
* Derby Porcelain
* Royal Crown Derby
* Pinxton Porcelain
* André Planché
* William Billingsley
* William Duesbury

Ancient Britain|

* Creswellian culture
* Derventio
* Strutt's Park Roman fort
* Derby Racecourse Roman settlement
* Hanson Log Boat
* Great Heathen Army
* Heath Wood barrow cemetery
* Codnor Castle
* Duffield Castle
* Icknield St.
* The Street
* The Long Lane

Science and engineering|

* Atlas Coelestis
* Benjamin Vulliamy
* Whitehurst & Son sundial

Related|

| Organisations|

* Andrew Handyside & Co.
* British Rail Research Division
* Derby Philosophical Society
* Derby Exhibition (1839)

|

People|

* Alkmund
* P. P. Burdett
* D'Ewes Coke
* Erasmus Darwin
* 6th Duke of Devonshire
* James Ferguson
* Arthur Keily
* R. K. Freeman
* Alfred E. Goodey
* Sir George Harpur Crewe
* Llewellynn Jewitt
* John Lombe
* William Mundy
* Joseph Pickford
* 5th Earl Ferrers
* George Sorocold
* Joseph Strutt
* Charles Sylvester

* Derby Silk Mill (Lombe's Mill)
* Pickford's House Museum
* Central Library

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template