Deutsch
0

A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery, 1766 by Joseph Wright of Derby
Canvas Print - 4150-WOD

Location: Derby Museum and Art Gallery, UK
Original Size: 147.2 × 203.2 cm

A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery by Wright of Derby (1766) is reproduced as a museum-quality giclée canvas print. Printed with archival inks on 400 g/m² canvas and hand-varnished for UV protection, it can be made in any size up to 41.4 × 59.1 in, scaled proportionally, with optional framing. Free worldwide shipping available; unframed prints ship in 2 workdays, framed in 7 to 8. Guaranteed 100-year color durability.

A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1766 - canvas print
Video

Giclée Canvas Print | $65.50 USD

Your Selection

SKU:4150-WOD
Print format
Print/Image Size
Rolled
Production: 2 Workdays
Free Shipping
Giclée Print Quality on 400 g/m² Canvas, Satin/Gloss

Customize Your Print

Largest Available
41.4″ × 59.1″
Framing: Long Side Up to 28"
Can be Framed

Sizes scale proportionally to the original. Dimensions shown are for the printed area - we always add 1.2 in of blank canvas on every side for stretching.

Height in
Width in

Looking for a painting that is not in our catalog?

Also Available as Oil Painting Reproduction

Questions about this Print

The size you set is the printed image, the part you see once the canvas is stretched. Beyond that size we add 1.2 in of blank canvas on every side, at no extra cost, so the stretcher bars have something to grip. A 15.2 × 21.7 in print therefore arrives as 17.6 × 24 in. Both numbers are shown in Your Selection above and change with the slider.

Yes. The slider covers every size up to 41.4 × 59.1 in, always in the proportions of the original. If you need something larger, or a size that has to fit a frame you already own, write to us with the title and the dimensions and we will tell you what is possible. Every print is made to order, so there is usually a way.

Because the original is an oil painting on canvas. We match the print medium to the original: oil paintings go on canvas, works on paper go on fine art paper. Our canvas is natural cotton, 400 g/m² Canvas, acid-free and pH neutral, and its woven texture gives the most natural impression of Wright of Derby's original oil painting. The finish is satin/gloss, which keeps the depth of the dark tones the way varnish does on a painting in a museum; a matte canvas looks dull and pale next to it. More about our print media.

Start with the original, which measures 147.2 × 203.2 cm. A print at or near that size reads the way the artist judged it. Printing smaller is easy; enlarging a small original changes its character. For the wall, above a sofa or a sideboard aim for two thirds to three quarters of the furniture width, and hang the center at eye level. Cut paper to size and tape it to the wall before you order. The original hangs in Derby Museum and Art Gallery, UK. Full size guide.
30-day returns on unframed prints. Shipping, framing, care and returns are covered in our Help & FAQ.

About the Painting

Joseph Wright of Derby's 1766 masterpiece, "A Philosopher giving that Lecture on the Orrery," is an evocative tour de force that brilliantly captures the spirit of the Enlightenment. Bathed in the dramatic chiaroscuro that would make Caravaggio nod in approval, Wright transports us into a scene of intellectual fervor and scientific wonder.

At the heart of this composition is the orrery, a mechanical model of the solar system, around which a diverse group of onlookers is gathered. The philosopher, clad in a striking red coat, commands the scene with a gravitas that suggests both authority and passion. His outstretched arm points towards the illuminated orrery, the light from which bathes the faces of the attendees in a warm, almost divine glow. This light does more than just illuminate; it symbolizes the enlightenment and knowledge being shared.

Wright's use of light and shadow is nothing short of masterful. Each face is rendered with meticulous detail, revealing a spectrum of emotions ranging from curiosity to awe. The young boy leaning forward, eyes wide with wonder, contrasts with the contemplative expression of the older gentleman on the left, who seems lost in thought. This interplay of youth and age, of curiosity and contemplation, encapsulates the transfer of knowledge across generations.

The composition is rich with symbolism. The books in the background, the instruments on the table, and even the orrery itself all speak to an era where science and reason were beginning to illuminate the dark corners of human understanding. Wright's painting is not just a depiction of a lecture; it is a celebration of the quest for knowledge and the power of enlightenment to transform society.

More Fine Art Prints by Wright of Derby

An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1768

An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump 1768
Canvas Print
$68.72
SKU: 4151-WOD
Joseph Wright of Derby
Original Size:183 × 244 cm
National Gallery, London, UK
Two Girls Dressing a Kitten by Candlelight by Joseph Wright of Derby, c.1768/70

Two Girls Dressing a Kitten by Candlelight c.1768/70
Canvas Print
$70.59
SKU: 4152-WOD
Joseph Wright of Derby
Original Size:90.8 × 72.4 cm
Kenwood House (The Iveagh Bequest), London, UK
Portrait of Edward Becher Leacroft by Joseph Wright of Derby, c.1763

Portrait of Edward Becher Leacroft c.1763
Canvas Print
$74.15
SKU: 4272-WOD
Joseph Wright of Derby
Original Size:127.2 × 101.6 cm
Stanford University Museum of Art, USA
Portrait of William Rastall by Joseph Wright of Derby, c.1762/64

Portrait of William Rastall c.1762/64
Canvas Print
$77.89
SKU: 4280-WOD
Joseph Wright of Derby
Original Size:76.2 × 63.6 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA
Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1765

Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight 1765
Canvas Print
$76.87
SKU: 4281-WOD
Joseph Wright of Derby
Original Size:101.6 × 122 cm
Private Collection
An Academy by Lamplight by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1769

An Academy by Lamplight 1769
Canvas Print
$73.98
SKU: 4282-WOD
Joseph Wright of Derby
Original Size:127 × 101 cm
Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, USA
Portrait of John Milnes by Joseph Wright of Derby, 1776

Portrait of John Milnes 1776
Canvas Print
$74.83
SKU: 4286-WOD
Joseph Wright of Derby
Original Size:127 × 101 cm
Louvre Museum, Paris, France
Portrait of Mrs Andrew Lindington by Joseph Wright of Derby, c.1761/62

Portrait of Mrs Andrew Lindington c.1761/62
Canvas Print
$76.87
SKU: 4287-WOD
Joseph Wright of Derby
Original Size:76.2 × 62.8 cm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA
Back to top