- Two young boys, gazing over the edge of the contraption in playful wonder. A teenaged girl, her arms resting on the machine, in quiet contemplation. A young man shielding his eyes from the brilliance of the light emanating from the center, and a young woman staring unblinkingly. A standing man taking copious notes on the proceedings. Another man leaning back in his seat, listening intently to the gray-haired lecturer, captivating his audience like a magician.
A key idea of the Age of Enlightenment—that empirical observation grounded in science and reason could best advance society—is expressed by the faces of the individuals in this piece
Wright’s painting encapsulates in one moment the Enlightenment, a philosophical shift in the eighteenth century away from traditional religious models of the universe and toward an empirical, scientific approach.
The paintings strong internal light source contribute to its dramatic impact; Wright mimics Baroque artists like Caravaggio, who inserted strong light sources in otherwise dark compositions to create dramatic effect. Light symbolizes the Enlightenment.
Rather than a moral of leadership or heroism, this painting’s “moral” is the pursuit of scientific knowledge.
Collection of non-idealized men, women, boys, and girls informally arranged in a small physical space around a central organizing point,
Wright’s painting mimics the compositional structure of a conversation piece but with the dramatic lighting and scale expected from a major religious scene
Joseph Wright became the unofficial artist of the Enlightenment, depicting scientists and philosophers in ways previously reserved for Biblical heroes and Greek gods.
An orrery is a mechanical model of the solar system, a miniature, clockwork planetarium. Philosopher delivering the lecture resemble the face of great scientists.
Wright began to explore the traditional boundaries of various genres of painting; the highest genre of painting was history painting, which depicted Biblical or classical subjects to demonstrate a moral lesson.
Wright was known for his deft depiction of the contrasts between light and dark, also known as chiaroscuro, and his unflinching portrayal of the true personalities of his subjects.
The age of Enlightenment is most closely associated with scientists and inventors, but writers and artists also played major roles. They helped spread enlightenment concepts via the written word and printed image, and inspired others to think rationally about the world in which they lived.
- Orrery refers to the plantarium
- Based loosely on Isaac Newton
