National Gallery masterpiece returns to Derby for long-awaited Wright reunion

Two of Joseph Wright of Derby’s most celebrated masterpieces have been reunited in the artist’s home city for the first time in 80 years – forming the centrepiece of a new exhibition.

Joseph Wright: From the Shadows – the world’s first exhibition dedicated to Wright’s famous candlelight paintings – opened to the public at Derby Museums’ Museum & Art Gallery at the weekend.

It brings together 21 items from Derby Museums’ internationally significant Wright collection alongside the return of An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump (1768) on loan from The National Gallery, London.

Displayed next to Derby’s own A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery in which a Lamp is put in the Place of the Sun (1766), the pairing reunites two of the most iconic images in British art – seen together in Derby now for the first time since 1947.

Tony Butler OBE, executive director of Derby Museums, said: “This exhibition places Derby at the centre of one of the most significant cultural moments of summer 2026.

“It is a celebration not only of Joseph Wright’s legacy but of the city that shaped one of Britain’s most original artistic voices.

“Our Year of Wright finale will show that there is no Wright without Derby.”

Widely regarded as one of the most exciting and innovative painters of the 18th century, Wright’s paintings capture dramas of spectatorship and learning; when science is theatre, discovery is spectacle and human curiosity is at its most profound.

The Derby exhibition follows an acclaimed ticketed presentation at The National Gallery in 2025.

Alongside the exhibition, Derby Museums is launching a city-wide celebration of Wright’s legacy, including a new self-guided trail through places connected to the artist’s life and work, as well as partnerships with local businesses to welcome visitors exploring Derby as a summer cultural destination.

The celebration marks the finale of Derby’s Year of Wright, which began with the exhibition Life on Paper exploring the artist’s lifelong love of drawing.

Lucy Bamford, senior curator for art at Derby Museums, said: “These paintings are among the most powerful. They are unforgettable images of British art.

“Seeing them reunited in Derby – where Wright’s story began – is a rare and inspiring experience.

“From the Shadows in Derby offers both local and national audiences the chance to take a closer look at Wright’s extraordinary mastery of light, drama, and human emotion in this landmark touring exhibition.”

The exhibition also features other loaned pieces, including two 17th-century Dutch candlelight paintings, The Concert by Hendrick ter Brugghen and A Man Offering Gold and Coins to a Girl by Godfried Schalcken, which explore Wright’s wider influences.

And Wright’s rarely seen An Academy by Lamplight (1769, private collection), is also part of the exhibition.

Joseph Wright: From the Shadows runs until 1 November. Admission is free.

For more information about the exhibition click here.