CHAPTER V.

The Bishop and the Painter.—Settles at Bath.—Letter to his Sister “Nancy.”—Prices of Portraits.—Wright’s Method of Making up his Palette.—Returns to Derby.—Lodges with the Eleys.—Removes to St. Helen’s.—Wilson and Wright.—Anecdotes.

Soon after Wright’s return from Italy, an Irish Bishop[22]bespoke a large picture of Vesuvius, and on passing through Derby called at his painting-rooms to look at it. The mountain and burning lava were nearly finished, but the foreground being only laid in, there wanted the bold dark parts to give effect to the brilliant lights. On seeing it, the Bishop literally addressed him in the language used by Hayley in the following lines, and in consequence Wright would not allow him to have the picture, nor would he ever sell it. It hung in his dining-room during his life-time, and is still in the possession of a member of his family. In the MS. list of Wright’s paintings it is entered “Vesuvius for Bp. Derry, £105,” but the indignant artist has dashed his pen through the entry.

THE BISHOP AND THE PAINTER.A TRUE STORY.A Bishop who wished to be rank’d with a fewWho are cried up by fashion as men of vertu,Most wisely conjectur’d ’twould aid his desireTo purchase from Wright a picture of fire;But his spirit more mean than his gusto was nice,Tried a singular trick for reducing the price.And his bargain to make either cheaper or void,He thus preach’d to the artist his pride had employed—“Indeed, Mr. Wright, you mistake or neglect“The true tint of fire and its proper effect;“I wonder you think of employing your hand“On a branch of your art that you don’t understand.”“Hold, meanness and pride, tho’ you’re mantled in lawn,Ye shall meet due contempt, and your masque be withdrawn,You never shall wound, unrepaid with disgrace,A Genius so modest, with insult so base.You black dilletante I hence learn to your shame,No mortal can give more expression to flame!If in flashes more brilliant your eyes wish to dwell,Your Lordship must go for your picture to ——:From the plan I propose, tho’ not much to your heart,I think there might rise some advantage to art;Your Lordship by going those flames to inspect,Might learn more of fire and its proper effect,And the devil, who often creates himself mirthBy caricaturing odd beings from earth,Would find proper hints for his pencil to sketchIn a mitre bestow’d on so sordid a wretch.”

A Bishop who wished to be rank’d with a fewWho are cried up by fashion as men of vertu,Most wisely conjectur’d ’twould aid his desireTo purchase from Wright a picture of fire;But his spirit more mean than his gusto was nice,Tried a singular trick for reducing the price.And his bargain to make either cheaper or void,He thus preach’d to the artist his pride had employed—“Indeed, Mr. Wright, you mistake or neglect“The true tint of fire and its proper effect;“I wonder you think of employing your hand“On a branch of your art that you don’t understand.”“Hold, meanness and pride, tho’ you’re mantled in lawn,Ye shall meet due contempt, and your masque be withdrawn,You never shall wound, unrepaid with disgrace,A Genius so modest, with insult so base.You black dilletante I hence learn to your shame,No mortal can give more expression to flame!If in flashes more brilliant your eyes wish to dwell,Your Lordship must go for your picture to ——:From the plan I propose, tho’ not much to your heart,I think there might rise some advantage to art;Your Lordship by going those flames to inspect,Might learn more of fire and its proper effect,And the devil, who often creates himself mirthBy caricaturing odd beings from earth,Would find proper hints for his pencil to sketchIn a mitre bestow’d on so sordid a wretch.”

A Bishop who wished to be rank’d with a few

Who are cried up by fashion as men of vertu,

Most wisely conjectur’d ’twould aid his desire

To purchase from Wright a picture of fire;

But his spirit more mean than his gusto was nice,

Tried a singular trick for reducing the price.

And his bargain to make either cheaper or void,

He thus preach’d to the artist his pride had employed—

“Indeed, Mr. Wright, you mistake or neglect

“The true tint of fire and its proper effect;

“I wonder you think of employing your hand

“On a branch of your art that you don’t understand.”

“Hold, meanness and pride, tho’ you’re mantled in lawn,

Ye shall meet due contempt, and your masque be withdrawn,

You never shall wound, unrepaid with disgrace,

A Genius so modest, with insult so base.

You black dilletante I hence learn to your shame,

No mortal can give more expression to flame!

If in flashes more brilliant your eyes wish to dwell,

Your Lordship must go for your picture to ——:

From the plan I propose, tho’ not much to your heart,

I think there might rise some advantage to art;

Your Lordship by going those flames to inspect,

Might learn more of fire and its proper effect,

And the devil, who often creates himself mirth

By caricaturing odd beings from earth,

Would find proper hints for his pencil to sketch

In a mitre bestow’d on so sordid a wretch.”

Hayley intended these lines to be inserted in the newspapers, and sent them to Wright for his approbation, who thought them so very severe that he objected to their being published, and only showed them to a few of his most intimate friends. The original copy is now in the possession of the writer.

Gainsborough having left Bath in 1774, it was thought by Wright that there would be a good opening for a portrait painter in that city, and accordingly in December of that year he left Derby with his family. At Bath,[23]however, he met with but little patronage, as we learn from the following extracts from letters:—

“Bath, Jan. 15, 1776.“Since I wrote the within, Lady Ferrers has brought the Dutchess of Cumberland to see my pictures, wchher Highness much approves of. Thro’ Lady Ferrers’ recommendation her Highness will sit to me for a full-length; a good beginning this, tho’ a late one, and I hope will prove successful. I am glad the conclusion of my letter is better than the beginning.“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, Jan. 15, 1776.

“Since I wrote the within, Lady Ferrers has brought the Dutchess of Cumberland to see my pictures, wchher Highness much approves of. Thro’ Lady Ferrers’ recommendation her Highness will sit to me for a full-length; a good beginning this, tho’ a late one, and I hope will prove successful. I am glad the conclusion of my letter is better than the beginning.

“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, 9th February, 1776.“I have now past one season, the biggest of the two, without any advantage. The Duchess of Cumberland is the only sitter I have had, and her order for a full-length dwindled to a head only, which has cost me so much anxiety, that I had rather have been without it; the great people are so fantastical and whining, they create a world of trouble, tho’ I have but the same fate as SrJos. Reynolds, who has painted two pictures of her Highness, and neither please. I am confident I have some enemies in this place, whopropagate a report that I paint fire-pieces admirably, but they never heard of my painting portraits; such a report as this was mentioned to her Royal Highness, after she had given me the commission for a full-length, as I was told by one of her domestics.“This is a scheme of some artists here (who, to our shame be it said, seldom behave liberally to one another) to work me out, and certainly it proves at present very injurious to me, and I know not whether it will be worth my while (considering how little business is done here, and has been done these four or five years past) to stay to confute ’em. I have heard from London, and by several gentlemen here, that the want of business was the reason of Gainsborough’s leaving Bath. Wou’d I had but known this sooner, for I much repent coming here. The want of encouragement of the Arts, I fear, is not only felt here but in Town also, and artists are become so numerous that the share which falls to each is small. I wish I had tried London first, and if it had not suited me, I would then have retired to my native place, where, tho’ upon smaller gains, I could have lived free from the strife and envy of illiberal and mean-spirited artists. What I have seen since I have been here has so wounded my feelings, so disturbed my peace, as to injure my health, but I will endeavour to shake it off.“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, 9th February, 1776.

“I have now past one season, the biggest of the two, without any advantage. The Duchess of Cumberland is the only sitter I have had, and her order for a full-length dwindled to a head only, which has cost me so much anxiety, that I had rather have been without it; the great people are so fantastical and whining, they create a world of trouble, tho’ I have but the same fate as SrJos. Reynolds, who has painted two pictures of her Highness, and neither please. I am confident I have some enemies in this place, whopropagate a report that I paint fire-pieces admirably, but they never heard of my painting portraits; such a report as this was mentioned to her Royal Highness, after she had given me the commission for a full-length, as I was told by one of her domestics.

“This is a scheme of some artists here (who, to our shame be it said, seldom behave liberally to one another) to work me out, and certainly it proves at present very injurious to me, and I know not whether it will be worth my while (considering how little business is done here, and has been done these four or five years past) to stay to confute ’em. I have heard from London, and by several gentlemen here, that the want of business was the reason of Gainsborough’s leaving Bath. Wou’d I had but known this sooner, for I much repent coming here. The want of encouragement of the Arts, I fear, is not only felt here but in Town also, and artists are become so numerous that the share which falls to each is small. I wish I had tried London first, and if it had not suited me, I would then have retired to my native place, where, tho’ upon smaller gains, I could have lived free from the strife and envy of illiberal and mean-spirited artists. What I have seen since I have been here has so wounded my feelings, so disturbed my peace, as to injure my health, but I will endeavour to shake it off.

“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, Ap. 15th, 76.“My dear Brother,“I have sent my two pictures[24]to the Exhibition, where I hope they will meet with as much approbation as they have here, and better success with regard to the sale of them, or I shall be run aground with this year’s expenses. I have only painted 4 heads yet; the prejudice still runs high against me. I am now painting a half-length of Dr. Wilson & his adopted daughter, Miss Macauley; this is for reputation only, but you must not say so. The Doctor is a very popular man, and is fighting in my cause stoutly, for he thinks me ill-treated; he wishes he had known of my being in Bath five or six months ago, he could have been of use to me before now, and I wonder my friend Coltman (if he knew) did not mention him to me; indeed, if I stay I shall have need of all the friends I can make. I know not what to think of it, sometimes revenge spirits me up to stay and endeavour to triumph over my enemies; at other times more peaceful reflections take place, & I am for retiring to pursue my old walk of painting. I have some intention of coming to Derby, with your leave, to paint the sea engagement, at the time when Bath is deserted by almost all, but will say more of this in my next.“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, Ap. 15th, 76.

“My dear Brother,

“I have sent my two pictures[24]to the Exhibition, where I hope they will meet with as much approbation as they have here, and better success with regard to the sale of them, or I shall be run aground with this year’s expenses. I have only painted 4 heads yet; the prejudice still runs high against me. I am now painting a half-length of Dr. Wilson & his adopted daughter, Miss Macauley; this is for reputation only, but you must not say so. The Doctor is a very popular man, and is fighting in my cause stoutly, for he thinks me ill-treated; he wishes he had known of my being in Bath five or six months ago, he could have been of use to me before now, and I wonder my friend Coltman (if he knew) did not mention him to me; indeed, if I stay I shall have need of all the friends I can make. I know not what to think of it, sometimes revenge spirits me up to stay and endeavour to triumph over my enemies; at other times more peaceful reflections take place, & I am for retiring to pursue my old walk of painting. I have some intention of coming to Derby, with your leave, to paint the sea engagement, at the time when Bath is deserted by almost all, but will say more of this in my next.

“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, Ap. 30th, 1776.“To Mr. Wright, Surgeon, Derby.“ ... From the month of June till the latter end of September there is no company in Bath. I intend to follow the fashion this year and go to Derby, & it willgive me an opportunity (if the old room is disengaged) of painting the sea-piece, or some blacksmith’s shop which will bring company to my rooms next season, for there is some advantage arising from their seeing only; there has been given at the doors £22 already, wchmore than pays a qrs. rent.“ ... Little Pop is well, talks a little English, a little Italian, and a little French.“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, Ap. 30th, 1776.

“To Mr. Wright, Surgeon, Derby.

“ ... From the month of June till the latter end of September there is no company in Bath. I intend to follow the fashion this year and go to Derby, & it willgive me an opportunity (if the old room is disengaged) of painting the sea-piece, or some blacksmith’s shop which will bring company to my rooms next season, for there is some advantage arising from their seeing only; there has been given at the doors £22 already, wchmore than pays a qrs. rent.

“ ... Little Pop is well, talks a little English, a little Italian, and a little French.

“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, May 8th, 1776.“Dr. Brother,“The season is almost over here, and there is but little company in town, therefore have but little reason to expect any more sitters. Have in hand a small full-length of Mr. Miles, brother to Capt. Miles I painted at Derby some time ago. He is now in Town, but will be here, I expect, in a day or two to have his picture finished; a day will compleat it, and if I have nothing more to do, shall leave Bath in a fortnight or thereabout. I shall go round by London if the Exhibitions are open at the time....THE ANNUAL GIRANDOLO AT THE CASTLE OF ST. ANGELO, ROME.(From the Original Sketch.)“There has been offered for my picture of the Girandolo a 100 guineas, but the man who is appointed in the room for the transacting the business knows neither his name, place of abode, or anything about him, thro’ which carelessness I shall in all probability lose the selling of my picture. If I do, I will never exhibit with them more.“I am yours,“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Bath, May 8th, 1776.

“Dr. Brother,

“The season is almost over here, and there is but little company in town, therefore have but little reason to expect any more sitters. Have in hand a small full-length of Mr. Miles, brother to Capt. Miles I painted at Derby some time ago. He is now in Town, but will be here, I expect, in a day or two to have his picture finished; a day will compleat it, and if I have nothing more to do, shall leave Bath in a fortnight or thereabout. I shall go round by London if the Exhibitions are open at the time....

THE ANNUAL GIRANDOLO AT THE CASTLE OF ST. ANGELO, ROME.(From the Original Sketch.)

THE ANNUAL GIRANDOLO AT THE CASTLE OF ST. ANGELO, ROME.

(From the Original Sketch.)

“There has been offered for my picture of the Girandolo a 100 guineas, but the man who is appointed in the room for the transacting the business knows neither his name, place of abode, or anything about him, thro’ which carelessness I shall in all probability lose the selling of my picture. If I do, I will never exhibit with them more.

“I am yours,

“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Mr. Wright, Surgeon, Derby.“Bath, March 9th, 1777.“Dear Brother,“From the cast of that part of your letter wchrelates to these rascally watermen, I plainly perceive they do not intend making me restitution. I think if Mr.Fallows would write them a letter telling them that I should not trouble myself any farther about the matter, but had desired him to inform ’em of the damage done me, wchif they did not immediately redress, to prosecute them, and advertize the affair in such papers as may most affect them. The threatening them with a prosecution, tho’ I don’t intend to throw away more money, may be of use, but advertize them I certainly will. Give my compliments to Mr.Fallows and tell him, as I spent a day over his picture, he will, I doubt not, do me this favour. The carrier that brought my things from Bristol is esteemed an honest man, he was present when the goods were weighed, that their weight was 3 cwt., what they were at other places he has no account. I am confident the theft had been committed some time ere the things were delivered, from this circumstance: I had occasion to pack in the hamper a piece of armour, wchI had some trouble with on account of the fulness of the hamper, and could manage it no way but by putting it with the concave side upwards down by the side of the hamper. This I well remember, and Mr.Haden will too. When I unpacked the hamper the armour was in the middle of it, with the concave side upwards, and the hay where it lay fresh and green, an appearance you must have observed when anything has lain long and undisturbed upon hay. From hence, I doubt not, the mischief was done in the beginning of the voyage. But it matters not, I shall look to those people to whom the goods were first committed, let them seek further, pray don’t trifle with them, that the affair may be made public while recent. The account of the things taken, wchupon proving the bottles, I find very different to that I sent before.Eight bottles of old rum, at 13s. per gallon160Four do. Brandy, do.0130Two of Shrub076Ten bottles of wine0168Twenty-three bottles049½A Cheese 17 lbs. weight, at 4d. per lb.058Basket for ditto00431311½“N.B.—One of my bottles was returned unto yehamper filled with water. Sent from Derby 146 bottles, received at Bath 22 bottles.“You have heard the melancholy account of my good friend Hurleston’s death. ’Tis a loss indeed to me, he was ever ready to serve me. I never heard his Asthmatic complaint was so bad as to endanger his life, it used in the thick winter weather to be troublesome; perhaps the fall he got last year, of wchhe complained at your house, hastened his end. Peace to his soul. Since Mr.Ward is dead, we are happy Miss Ward did not regard our importuning her to stayhere, pray make our compliments to her and all friends. My little boy and girl are well. Jo is about his teeth and cross at times. We expect to see his fourth every day. He has drove about his creed, sometimes furiously, & can walk 4 or 5 yards with a slack dade. He grows very strong & handsome. His nurse, to whom give our service, would be proud to see him. Pop is an engaging little girl, everybody that knows her loves her.... I have a sitter, the first this year, but, thank heavens, I have other employment wchI will tell you of in my next.“I am yours,“JO. WRIGHT.”

“Mr. Wright, Surgeon, Derby.

“Bath, March 9th, 1777.

“Dear Brother,

“From the cast of that part of your letter wchrelates to these rascally watermen, I plainly perceive they do not intend making me restitution. I think if Mr.Fallows would write them a letter telling them that I should not trouble myself any farther about the matter, but had desired him to inform ’em of the damage done me, wchif they did not immediately redress, to prosecute them, and advertize the affair in such papers as may most affect them. The threatening them with a prosecution, tho’ I don’t intend to throw away more money, may be of use, but advertize them I certainly will. Give my compliments to Mr.Fallows and tell him, as I spent a day over his picture, he will, I doubt not, do me this favour. The carrier that brought my things from Bristol is esteemed an honest man, he was present when the goods were weighed, that their weight was 3 cwt., what they were at other places he has no account. I am confident the theft had been committed some time ere the things were delivered, from this circumstance: I had occasion to pack in the hamper a piece of armour, wchI had some trouble with on account of the fulness of the hamper, and could manage it no way but by putting it with the concave side upwards down by the side of the hamper. This I well remember, and Mr.Haden will too. When I unpacked the hamper the armour was in the middle of it, with the concave side upwards, and the hay where it lay fresh and green, an appearance you must have observed when anything has lain long and undisturbed upon hay. From hence, I doubt not, the mischief was done in the beginning of the voyage. But it matters not, I shall look to those people to whom the goods were first committed, let them seek further, pray don’t trifle with them, that the affair may be made public while recent. The account of the things taken, wchupon proving the bottles, I find very different to that I sent before.

“N.B.—One of my bottles was returned unto yehamper filled with water. Sent from Derby 146 bottles, received at Bath 22 bottles.

“You have heard the melancholy account of my good friend Hurleston’s death. ’Tis a loss indeed to me, he was ever ready to serve me. I never heard his Asthmatic complaint was so bad as to endanger his life, it used in the thick winter weather to be troublesome; perhaps the fall he got last year, of wchhe complained at your house, hastened his end. Peace to his soul. Since Mr.Ward is dead, we are happy Miss Ward did not regard our importuning her to stayhere, pray make our compliments to her and all friends. My little boy and girl are well. Jo is about his teeth and cross at times. We expect to see his fourth every day. He has drove about his creed, sometimes furiously, & can walk 4 or 5 yards with a slack dade. He grows very strong & handsome. His nurse, to whom give our service, would be proud to see him. Pop is an engaging little girl, everybody that knows her loves her.... I have a sitter, the first this year, but, thank heavens, I have other employment wchI will tell you of in my next.

“I am yours,

“JO. WRIGHT.”

There is no date or address to the following playful letter from Wright to his sister Nancy, but judging from its contents, it was written from Bath about 1775–6, as the second picture of the “Smith’s Shop” was exhibited in the former year:—

“‘What can this lazy, idle, good-for-nothing brother of mine be about?’ ‘Why, writing to you, if you’ll only be civil, and not abuse me at this rate. I am not idle, I assure you, nor lazy, nor good-for-nothing, tho’ I am sorry to say it myself; but that is because here is no one to say it for me, or I assure you, if I thought it worth convincing you, I could find vouchers enough. Are you satisfied, Miss Nancy? am I good for nothing or something?’ ‘Oh! quite satisfied my dear Bro’ that you are good for something—nay, for that matter very good.’ ‘Well, now, that is prettily said, and as becomes you; faith, you wou’d always talk in that manner, if you knew what charms it diffused o’er your countenance. I think that prettily said, too, & now I am even with you. I hate compliments; but to dispel a lady’s frowns, & get out of the gloom, I would swear, lie, compliment, or do anything. Now we have shook hands, & are upon a good footing again, I must tell you I have had very good health of late, & have made too much use of it; have worked very hard, have finished my Smith’s Shop—’tis as good or better than the last. Have upon the Stocks the young Nobleman, whose avarice caused him to break open the Tomb of his ancestors, in hopes of finding vast treasures, from an inscription there was upon it—“In this tomb is a greater treasure than Crœsus possessed.” This, I think, will be a favourite picture. Burdett’s tour to France proves highly advantageous to him. He is to etch plates for Wedgewood & Bentley to be printed upon their ware—an employ that in all probability will last him for life—by which he will or may make four or six hundred a year. I know your honest heart will make your pulse beat high at the news.’”

Farrington tells us that while Reynolds resided in St. Martin’s Lane, his prices for portraits were—three-quarters, ten guineas; half length, twenty guineas; whole length, forty guineas. Those of his master, Hudson, were rather higher, and were soon adopted by him. About four or five years later, both raised their prices to fifteen, thirty, and sixty guineas for the three classes of portraits respectively.[25]

Wright’s prices in 1754, when he was twenty years of age, were for three-quarters, six guineas; half-length, twelve guineas; and full length, twenty-six guineas. In 1760 we find them raised respectively to ten, twenty-one, forty, and sixty guineas. Later in life they were still further advanced to 90 and 120 guineas for full-lengths.

It has often been lamented that artists did not more frequently leave behind them a record of their method of working, and the arrangement of their palette, for the benefit of their brethren who follow them, so that after a lapse of time the good results from their method of working might be followed, and their failures, by the use of certain pigments, be avoided. We are enabled to transcribe from Wright’s MS. note-book the arrangement of his palette. As the present state of his paintings, where they have not been “restored,” is generally very good, after the lapse of a century, with the exception here and there of a change of tone not intended by the artist, his “palette” may be worth the attention of art students.

In the same MS. book, on the first page, is the following record of the palette of another artist, and it is probable that Wright may have used it in his early works:—

“Mr. Phelps’s way of making a Pallet.

“First lay on Naples yellow, light oker, brown oker, Roman oker, Indian Red, lake, brown pink, Ivory black, & Prussian blue.

“In the light part of the face use Naples yellow, light oker, white, vermillion, and a very little lake. Obsethat Naples yellow must be tempered with an ivory pallet knife. For greenish shadows in the face, use Naples yellow, Brown pink, lake, & a little black.

“As blue black is a colour that will not stand, the following colours are the same when mixt together:—Ivory black, Prussian blue, & a little white. So for Coleus earth, use ivory black, Roman oker, brown pink, & a little lake.”

Wright often used a twilled canvas for his portraits, and sometimes for his landscapes. He mostly painted very thinly, and it is perhaps partly in consequence of this practice that his pictures have stood the test of time better than those of many contemporary artists. He but seldom signed his paintings; when he did, he generally gave the initials, “I. W., pinxit,” and the dates.

His early portraits partake very much of the hard handling and stiff style of Hudson, his master; but as time elapsed and experience was gained, he adopted more pleasing and original treatment.

In the early part of this century, an artist, Rawlinson by name, who resided at Matlock Bath, copied some of Wright’s pictures with some success.

On Oct. 6th, 1777, Wright and his family returned to Derby from Bath, and went to lodge at Mr. Eley’s, which was opposite to his brother Richard’s house, where he still continued to paint. There he lived very happily and cheerfully, being constantly employed in the evening. When not in the painting-rooms he would read, draw, play upon the flute, or romp with his children; he was so pleasant and accommodating to all the family, that though the Eleys were at first unwilling to receive him, they quite lamented when he left.

In the spring of 1779, Wright removed to St. Helen’s House. This house was built by the Fitzherberts, upon the same plan, and apparently by the same architect, as Somersal Hall,Staffordshire. Alleyne Fitzherbert, who was created Baron St. Helen’s in 1801, was born in this house, and from it took his title. The ground formerly belonged to the Abbey of St. Helen, and on the old house being taken down, a skeleton and numerous bones were found under the foundations, which lead to the supposition that it was the burial ground of the Abbey; its site is at the present time occupied by part of St. Helen’s Street, and Messrs. Hall’s Marble Works. The present St. Helen’s, now the Grammar School, is on the opposite side of King Street, and was built by—— Gisborne, Esq. The comparatively retired situation of this old house on the outskirts of the town, suited Wright. It had a large court before it, and the sitting rooms looked into the gardens, which were large. Wright always encouraged his children in the enjoyment of active amusements, as being conducive to health. “The broad gravel walk, the length of the largest garden,” writes his niece, “was a famous place for playing at ball, baseball, &c., in which his nieces used to join with delight, there being no fear of any injury being done. The old house was well calculated for all sorts of games; from the rooms opening into each other and into different passages, no place could be better for hide and seek, and the large hall for blind-man’s-buff, and games that required space. Swinging was likewise a great pleasure. There was not any part of the house in which they might not play, and they could even whip tops in the room where the pictures were arranged all round, and upon the floor.”

ST. HELEN’S HOUSE IN 1792.

Wright would allow them to play in his painting-room when he was not employed, and his niece does not remember him being afraid of anything being damaged, except when he was painting the portrait of Sir Richard Arkwright, in which the machine he constructed for spinning cotton was introduced; then he would not allow anyone to go near the table lest it should be injured.

The painting-rooms at St. Helen’s House were not so convenient as those at his brother’s, Dr. Wright’s, in the Iron Gate, where one room opened into the other, so that by darkening the one room he could introduce the proper light and subject he intended to paint, and view them to advantage from the other room. His mechanical genius, however, enabled him to construct an apparatus for painting candle-light pieces and effects of fire-light. It consisted of a framework of wood resembling a large folding screen, which reached to the top of the room, the two ends being placed against the wall, which formed two sides of the enclosure. Each fold was divided into compartments, forming a framework covered with black paper, and opening withhinges, so that when the object he was painting from was placed within with the proper light, the artist could view it from various points from without.

In a note to a poem on the Chauntry House, Newark, by the Rev. H. N. Bousfield, B.A., the following anecdote occurs:—

“The Banqueting, or Dining Room of the Chauntry, contains a strong, but delicately handled, lengthened portrait of the late Joseph Sikes, Esq., by the celebrated Mr. Wright, of St. Helen’s, in Derby, the ancient residence of Mr. Sikes’s family, at an early period of whose minority that venerable edifice was, to his deep regret, taken down, and which contained, among other characteristics of “Olden Times,” a compact Chapel, part of which had a curiously wrought cedar wainscot. A remarkable proof of the success of the artist in giving to ‘canvas face and figure,’ was afforded by a favourite little terrier dog of the late Mr. Sikes’s unconsciously accompanying him into the apartment at St. Helen’s, upon thefloorof which, in a veryunfinishedstate, were arranged, with many others, this Portrait and that of his first Lady, the delightful sagacity of that interesting class of animals quickly displaying itself by an attentive survey of the picture, and by the most lively emotions of gratification, to the extent even of actuallylickingthe canvas. The alarm and astonishment, however, so naturally felt by Mr. Sikes from this honest though uncourteous intruder, was strongly reproved by Mr. Wright, as the most unprecedented and unflattering respect he could have received; adding, that if thefinishof the painting was as perfect as the compliment of the dog, his highest ambition must be exceeded, and if anyone took the trouble to write his life, that anecdote would necessarily form a prominent place. It has been aptly observed, that it more than rivals the celebrated and well-known story of Alexander and Apelles.”

This dog was not singular in paying such an unintentional compliment to the artist, as the following authenticated anecdote shows:—“In October, 1782, Mr. Wright was engaged painting the portrait of a young gentleman named Carleill, and to try the effect in a strong light, the picture was placed on the floor, with its back resting against the legs of a chair, when a favourite greyhound, belonging to the family, coming into the room, bounded up to the picture and began to lick the face. Hereupon Mrs. Carleill, who was present, apologised to the artist for the animal’s misbehaviour, but Wright, shaking hands with her, exclaimed, ‘Oh! Mrs. Carleill, I freely forgive the dog the injury he has done to the painting for the compliment he has paid me.’” Nor were human beings exempt from similar deceptions. It is related that Mrs. Morewood, of Alfreton Hall, went with her friend, Mr. Holland, of Ford House, to see some paintings at Wright’s rooms; when looking at the portraits of the three children of Mr. Walter Synnott, grouped in the act of letting a dove fly from a wickerwork birdcage which was introduced in the foreground, she desired Mr. Holland would remove the birdcage, as it obstructed her view of the lower part of the picture; it is almost needless to add that the cage was painted and not of wickerwork, and that Wright thanked the lady for the compliment she had thus unconsciously paid him. At another time, a man who had occasion to enter the painting-room when the picture of the Old Man and his Ass (from Sterne) stood upon the floor, tried to kick away the saddle, so as to obtain a better view of the picture. Andon another occasion, it is said, a gentleman on entering the room, bowed to the full-length portrait of the late Mr. Charles Hurt, of Wirksworth, which was placed near the fire to dry, thinking it was Mr. Hurt himself who was in the room.

With reference to his art-enemies alluded to in the early part of this chapter, it is a pleasant task to record the following pleasing anecdote of Wilson, to show that artists may be “great yet amicable rivals”:—

“Wilson was liberal to his brother artists, and reverenced the powers of Wright, of Derby, highly, with whom he was intimate. The latter artist esteemed highly the abilities of Wilson, and when he was in London, rarely failed to visit his great but amicable rival. In conversing familiarly one day upon the subject of their art, Wright proposed to exchange one of his pictures for one of Wilson’s; the latter assented with the easy consciousness of his particular excellence, as distinguished from the particular excellence of his friend: ‘With all my heart, Wright; I’ll give youair, and you’ll give mefire.’ It is known that in aerial effect Wilson considered himself above every rival; and the proposal of Wright may be supposed to imply, on his part, an ingenuous acknowledgment of Wilson’s superiority in this particular. I have never heard that Wilson imitated Wright, but we know that Wright avowedly imitated Wilson, and, in such instances, reached his glow and aerial effect to admiration.”[26]

Mr. Holland, an intimate friend of Wright, and afterwards one of his executors, wrote the following intelligible but somewhat incoherent note on the margin of a catalogue of Wright’s paintings exhibited in London:—

“Richard Wilson is certainly the first in Landscape (1767). Joseph Wright should not be called second, because in a procession I would have them pair, and go hand-in-hand; and were there two right hand sides, they should both, from their excellence, have them. But this only in Landscape Procession. Wilson’s forte was only Landscape: look forward to the variety of the latter, in all of which he excelled; and in an academy he should have not only one of the foremost, but a distinguished bench to himself.”

Another brother artist who became a patron of Wright’s was Bacon the Sculptor, who purchased a small Vesuvius, which was exhibited at the Great Piazza, London, and afterwards engraved by Byrne.

The following anecdotes and notes, though not relevant to Wright’s remarkable imitative power, may as well find a place at the end of this chapter.

The Curator of the Derby Art Gallery tells a good tale of a north Derbyshire farmer’s visit to the Gallery when the Wright Collection was being exhibited in 1883. The farmer and his wife were standing before the picture of a boy blowing a bladder; he was saying to his spouse in the Derbyshire dialect, “Ah tell yer t’blither iz put behind t’picter, that’ns araal blither.” The wife replied that it was only a painted bladder. He then turned round and appealed to the Curator, who had just entered the gallery, who assured him that the bladder was painted upon the canvas, whereupon the farmer became most indignant, and replied, “Doan’t yer think I knows a blither when ah seez un?”

BOY BLOWING A BLADDER.

On one occasion, Wright was vexed with a sitter so capricious and unreasonable, that his patience and ingenuity were sorely taxed. She came to her second sitting in a different dress to that she had worn at the first, and desired the painter to represent her as she then appeared. Wright altered the picture to suit her whim. To his surprise and annoyance, when she next made her appearance, it was in a third dress. Again the pliant artist obliged her. When, however, she appeared in a fourth dress, Wright could stand it no longer, and flatly refused to make any further alteration. The lady replied in a threat to leave the portrait on his hands. “Madam,” retorted the painter, “I do not wish you to have the painting, I shall put it into the first auction sale, and it will fetch more than I was about to charge you.” This had thedesired result; the picture was taken, but the drapery was painted over by another artist, named Barber, to suit the caprice of the lady.

A lady who was about to sit to Mr. Wright, was told by her friends that Mr. Wright would arrange her hair, &c. She, to enable him to carry this into effect, spread out upon the table a large assortment of brushes, combs, pomades, bandoline, &c., much to the astonishment and amusement of the artist.

A sitter, a lady, who, though possessed of a fine figure, and good arms and ankles, had but an indifferent face, puzzled Mr. Wright as to the position in which he should place her. After some thought he chose to paint her extending her beautiful bare arm towards a branch of a hawthorn tree. Showing only sufficient of the lady’s face to be recognisable, he brought the full contour of her handsome figure into view, with one pretty foot and ankle peeping out from under her dress, and thus produced what was at once a good portrait and pleasing picture.

From the foregoing description, it is most probable that the following advertisement which appeared in the “Times” newspaper of July 25th, 1871, refers to the same picture, and that Mrs. Woodville was the sitter.

TO PICTURE DEALERS & OTHERS.FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.The above reward will be paid for the Portrait in Oil of the late Mrs. Woodville, by Wright, of Derby. The size is about 7 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 6 inches. She is attired in white, and represented as climbing up a bank to gather hawthorne. Her feet and ankles are displayed, and her shoes ornamented with garnet buckles. The picture is believed never to have been framed, and from being constantly rolled up to be considerably cracked.—Apply to Messrs. SIMPSON & NORTH,Solicitors, 1, Rumford Street,Liverpool.

TO PICTURE DEALERS & OTHERS.

FIFTY POUNDS REWARD.

The above reward will be paid for the Portrait in Oil of the late Mrs. Woodville, by Wright, of Derby. The size is about 7 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 6 inches. She is attired in white, and represented as climbing up a bank to gather hawthorne. Her feet and ankles are displayed, and her shoes ornamented with garnet buckles. The picture is believed never to have been framed, and from being constantly rolled up to be considerably cracked.

—Apply to Messrs. SIMPSON & NORTH,

Solicitors, 1, Rumford Street,

Liverpool.

Upon further enquiry I find that Major Orred, of Tranmere and Weston, Cheshire, caused the reward to be offered, and succeeded in finding the portrait at a Chemist’s, in Liverpool, but it was unfortunately mutilated by being cut down from whole length to “Kit-cat.”

In “Mozley’s Reminiscences,” p. 65, the following allusion is made to Wright:—

“There are men who are interesting from their associations, but whom no associations can redeem. Such was Joseph Pickford. I first became acquainted with his figure and circumstances at Derby, in 1815. His father had been an architect and builder, and the intimate friend of Wright the painter, remarkable for his illustrations of the varieties of light and their effects; and also ofWhitehurst, a mechanician and author of a ‘Theory of the Earth.’ It was a coterie contemporaneous and on friendly terms with the Philosophical Society, founded by Erasmus Darwin, but with a different caste, for philosophers are, socially, as exclusive as other people. The father had built in the Friar Gate a house of some architectural pretensions, hischef-d’œuvre, people said. The sons had divided it. He occupied the smaller portion, entered by a side door, much as it had come from the builder’s hands. The only pretty thing in his sitting room was a charming picture by Wright, of Pickford and his brother playing with a spaniel, of the date 1775, I should think, and in the gay costume of that period. It passed into the hands of a branch of the Curzon family. When I called on Pickford it was a caution to see what a beautiful child might come to.”

Woodward (G. W.), the Caricaturist (himself a Derbyshire man), says in his “Eccentric Excursions,” “It would be unpardonable to leave Derby without noticing the celebrated artist, Mr. Wright, who has resided several years in a house[27]facing the New Inn, overgrown with ivy, which, together with its high walls, proclaims an habitation sacred to study and retirement. The result of his labours are always open to the inspection of the stranger, an indulgence characteristic of this gentleman’s well-known affability; and those who depart unpleased after viewing his Moon and Candle-light pieces, and other inimitable specimens of his pencil, must indeed be void of taste and judgment in the imitative arts.”

In Wright’s account-book is the following entry:—“An account of the Trees in Windmill pit close in the year 1783, when eight trees on Shaw’s side, six on the Normanton lane, and ten on the road side, in all 24 trees.” From this entry we learn that the historical “Windmill Pit”[28]close (where Joan Waste[29]was burnt at the stake in 1556) at that time belonged to Wright, and that he planted the trees which adorned that once pretty spot, but which have had to fall before the march of the mason and bricklayer. The annual rent of the close at that date was £20.

JOSEPH AND HARRIET, TWO OF WRIGHT’S CHILDREN.Original picture in the possession of Miss Cade.

JOSEPH AND HARRIET, TWO OF WRIGHT’S CHILDREN.

Original picture in the possession of Miss Cade.

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