Tip: move over the painting to use the lens.
An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump
Joseph Wright of Derby · 1768
- Artist
- Joseph Wright of Derby
- Date
- 1768
- Where to see it
- National Gallery
National Gallery · Public domain · image via Wikimedia Commons · see it at the museum ↗
Slow Look
- The whole picture Let your eyes wander. Where do they want to rest?
- The light Find the brightest spot. What is it showing you?
- The edges Look at what is half cut off at the borders.
- One small detail Choose one tiny thing and stay with it for a while.
- The whole picture again Step back. Has it changed for you?
About Joseph Wright of Derby
Joseph Wright, styled Joseph Wright of Derby, was an English painter who specialised in portrait painting and landscape art. He has been acclaimed as "the first professional painter to express the spirit of the Industrial Revolution".
What do you see?
Stand in front of it for a moment. Then tell us what you noticed or felt - there are no wrong answers.
Be the first to share a thought.
