Death of Mrs. Wright.—Removes to Queen Street, Derby.—Wright’s Last Illness and Death.—Mr. J. Leigh Philips on the Character of Wright.—Sale of Wright’s Pictures in London and Derby.—Letters from J. Holland and Rev. Thos. Gisborne.
Death of Mrs. Wright.—Removes to Queen Street, Derby.—Wright’s Last Illness and Death.—Mr. J. Leigh Philips on the Character of Wright.—Sale of Wright’s Pictures in London and Derby.—Letters from J. Holland and Rev. Thos. Gisborne.
On August 19th1790, Mrs. Wright died of consumption, aged 41. This loss inflicted a crushing domestic blow to her husband, whose health now began seriously to fail, and from his MS. Book we are enabled by the following receipt to fix the time when Wright left St. Helen’s house (which was soon after pulled down), and by the name of the owner of the property, Mr. Bainbrigge, we are enabled to identify the house in which Wright resided down to the time of his death. The receipt is as follows:—
“May 1, 1793. Settled with MrWright for half a year’s rent (Twenty pounds) due Lady Day last.
“THOMAS BAINBRIGGE, Jun.”
The house is No. 26, in Queen Street, and is the first house in the Parish of St. Alkmund—St. Michael’s being the adjoining parish. The Family Vault was in St. Michael’s Church, but we find the Painter’s family are interred in the church of the parish in which they lived. His niece, Miss Wright, says:—“He removed to a house in Queen Street, near to St. Alkmund’s Ch.; there the windows all looked into the street, or upon buildings at the back part. The gardens being beyond them, it was a dull prospect for him.” The house was roomy and substantial, with a large garden, which in Wright’s time would be open to the Cherry Orchard, now Orchard Street. The premises now open into Chapel Street. This house afterwards became the post office, until the year 1840, and is now in the occupation of Mr. Allen.
The buildings appear to be in much the same state now as they were at that time. Some outbuildings obstruct the view of the garden, an archway giving the only glimpse of what was then open country, and this peep was obtained by looking through a very pretty wrought iron gate, no doubt from the hammer and anvil of Bakewell, who has left many examples of his art and skill in the town and neighbourhood. A drawing of the gate is here given, as it is worthy of preservation.
During the latter part of 1795 he became too ill to use his pencil, and when his first grandchild was born in 1796, he talked of introducing her in an unfinished portrait of her mother, in the place of a music book, but the picture was left unaltered, as were the portraits of his brother and his wife. He was so pleased with his brother’s portrait at the first sitting, that he said “he should be afraid of touching it again, lest the likeness should not be so good,” and so it remained.
GARDEN ENTRANCE TO HOUSE IN QUEEN STREET, DERBY.
GARDEN ENTRANCE TO HOUSE IN QUEEN STREET, DERBY.
In the month of May, 1797, he took to his bed; about this time his nose bled to such a degree as to prevent his lying down, and from the feeble state he was in, he had not strength to hold up his head for long together. A broad ribbon was therefore tied to each side of the head of the bed, upon which he rested his chin, and this simple contrivance afforded him great relief. His sufferings, from a complication of diseases, were very great, and he gradually became weaker. His daughter Harriet attended him night and day during this his last illness, and on the afternoon of the 29th of August, 1797, he expressed his pleasure at having those around him he had always loved. About two hours before he died, his friend, Mr. Tate, of Liverpool, having come to Derby, was anxious to see him, and was admitted. Wright seemed pleased to see his old friend, though he could scarcely articulate, buthe drew with his fingers upon the sheet, as if expressive of the pleasure they formerly enjoyed together in following that pursuit. He was buried on September 1st, 1797, in St. Alkmund’s Church, and the following inscription was placed on a tablet[47]erected to his memory:—
In the Middle Isle, Opposite to this Pillar, are Deposited the
Remains of Joseph Wright, Esq.,
Painter.
He Died August 29th, 1797, in the 63rd Year of His Age.
His well earn’d Merit in his Works is shown,Where Taste and Genius mark him for their own.
His well earn’d Merit in his Works is shown,Where Taste and Genius mark him for their own.
His well earn’d Merit in his Works is shown,Where Taste and Genius mark him for their own.
His well earn’d Merit in his Works is shown,
Where Taste and Genius mark him for their own.
MONUMENT IN ST. ALKMUND’S CHURCH, DERBY.
MONUMENT IN ST. ALKMUND’S CHURCH, DERBY.
On an old paper, on which was written the above couplet, there was also the following lines:—
His age & Death alone are here expressed,All friends to Taste and Genius know the rest.
His age & Death alone are here expressed,All friends to Taste and Genius know the rest.
His age & Death alone are here expressed,All friends to Taste and Genius know the rest.
His age & Death alone are here expressed,
All friends to Taste and Genius know the rest.
Mr. Jno. Leigh Philips, who wrote an account[48]of Wright shortly after his death, thus writes of him:—
“In his person he was rather above the middle size, and when young was esteemed a very handsome man; his company was then much courted on account of his pleasing vivacity and convivial habits; his eyes were prominent and very expressive; in his manners he was mild, unassuming, modest to an extreme, generous and full of sensibility, with the perfect carriage of a gentleman; honourable and punctual in all his transactions, he entertained themost utter contempt for everything like meanness or illiberality; and his good heart felt but too poignantly for the misconduct of others.
“I may truly observe of him that he stedfastly acted on the principle of always continuing to learn; from conversation, from examining pictures, and, above all, from the study of nature, he was constantly endeavouring to advance in the knowledge of his art; and to this habit, as wise as it was modest, of considering himself through life as a learner, no small share of his excellence may be ascribed. This disposition was naturally attended with a candid readiness to adopt, from the practice of other artists, new modes of proceeding, when they appeared to him rational, and to make trial in studies on a small scale of such as seemed in a tolerable degree promising.
“We shall conclude our account of Mr. Wright, in his private capacity as a man, with observing that he repeatedly evinced much liberality, by giving valuable pictures to individuals among his private friends, or to persons to whom he thought himself obliged. In various instances these gifts weremanifestlydisinterested; and they were always conferred in a very pleasing manner, which declined rather than sought the expression of gratitude.
“In addition to the character which he merits for the executive part of his art, it is pleasing to record, that in his works the attention is ever directed to the cause of virtue: that his early historical pictures consist of subjects either of rational or moral improvement, and he has succeeded admirably in arresting the gentler feelings of humanity, for what eye or heart ever remained unmoved at the sight of ‘Maria,’ Sterne’s ‘Captive,’ or the ‘Dead Soldier.’ In his works ‘not one immoral, one corrupted thought’ occurs to wound the eye of delicacy, or induce a wish that so exquisite a pencil had not found employment on more worthy subjects. His pictures may be considered as the reflexion of his own delicate mind, and will be ranked by posterity as treasures worthy the imitation of succeeding generations.”
The following letter from Mr. Philips to Dr. Wright is of interest:—
“Manchester, Nov. 18, 1797.“Dear Sir,“You will receive herewith a dozen copies of my account of your late worthy Brother, which I have got printed more carefully than was the case in the magazine, in which several errors had escaped correction. Some few still remain as they were printed in London, & I had no proof-sheet sent down. I will thank you to present a copy to Mr. Holland when you have an opportunity, with my respectful compliments. I have only to lament my inability to do justice to the character of my much-valued friend, as it requires abilities much beyond my scope to point out the beauties of his works, which go far beyond every modern effort of art, & I do not expect to live to see them equalled.“Believe me, with great truth,“Dear Sir,“Your faithful, hble. servt,“J. LEIGH PHILIPS.“P.S.—My friend Tate brought me a mourning ring, for which accept my grateful thanks.”
“Manchester, Nov. 18, 1797.
“Dear Sir,
“You will receive herewith a dozen copies of my account of your late worthy Brother, which I have got printed more carefully than was the case in the magazine, in which several errors had escaped correction. Some few still remain as they were printed in London, & I had no proof-sheet sent down. I will thank you to present a copy to Mr. Holland when you have an opportunity, with my respectful compliments. I have only to lament my inability to do justice to the character of my much-valued friend, as it requires abilities much beyond my scope to point out the beauties of his works, which go far beyond every modern effort of art, & I do not expect to live to see them equalled.
“Believe me, with great truth,
“Dear Sir,
“Your faithful, hble. servt,
“J. LEIGH PHILIPS.
“P.S.—My friend Tate brought me a mourning ring, for which accept my grateful thanks.”
“Derby, Irongate, 27 Nov., 1797.“To Mr. Philips.“Dear Sir,“I was honored with the parcel last Monday containing the copies of Memoirs of my late Bro’sLife. I return you my most grateful thanks for them, and think myself much obliged for the very great attention you have shewn in publishing the History of my Brother’s Life, wherein you have exhibited with great judgment and accuracy everything needful to adorn his character and abilities. The errors you have corrected in the Magazine are considerable, and make the production more valuable.“RICHDWRIGHT.”
“Derby, Irongate, 27 Nov., 1797.
“To Mr. Philips.
“Dear Sir,
“I was honored with the parcel last Monday containing the copies of Memoirs of my late Bro’sLife. I return you my most grateful thanks for them, and think myself much obliged for the very great attention you have shewn in publishing the History of my Brother’s Life, wherein you have exhibited with great judgment and accuracy everything needful to adorn his character and abilities. The errors you have corrected in the Magazine are considerable, and make the production more valuable.
“RICHDWRIGHT.”
Prefixed to this notice of Wright, by Mr. Philips, was an engraved portrait of the artist by Blake.
JOSEPH WRIGHT.Etched by himself.
JOSEPH WRIGHT.Etched by himself.
Amongst the effects of the late Mr. Geo. Cumberland, who was an intimate friend of Blake’s, was found an etching, evidently the one that served Blake as his copy, on which is written, “Wright, of Derby; etched by himself.” This is the only instance known of Wright having used the etching point.
I am indebted to Mr. Wm. Edkins, not only for this information, but for the unique etching itself, which is here reproduced.
The following is a copy of the catalogue of the drawings and paintings finished and unfinished that were sold by Christie, on May 6th, 1801, with the prices realized and the names of the purchasers. This, with the copy of Wright’s MS. book, to be found in the appendix, will form a very complete list of his principal works:—