Object Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
A Blacksmith's Shop |
Object Name |
Engraving |
Object ID |
2017.009.003 |
Description |
The glow of heated metal on the anvil and the distant light of the moon are placed into dramatic parallel in this mezzotint, after a painting by Joseph Wright of Derby. Wright's use of deep shadow and chiaroscuro light effects lend a sense of intimacy and mystery to this scene of a blacksmith's workshop. At center, three men hold and strike a bar of molten iron. Nearby children watch curiously from the safety of their mothers' laps, while a glimpse through a doorway at left shows a traveler and his loaded horse, who likely stopped for assistance with a horseshoe. This is a common motif that indicates the blacksmith's importance to travel and trade. Wright's paintings of scientific lectures, experiments, and emerging technologies have led many to name him a "painter of the Enlightenment." His paintings typically represent "new" or up-to-date apparatuses and practices that showcase changes in scientific understanding. Wright was a member of the Lunar Society of Birmingham, an informal learned society consisting of chemists, physicians, artists, engineers, and other amateur researchers interested in natural philosophy. |
Artist |
Earlom, Richard |
Artist 2 |
Wright, Joseph, of Derby (after) |
Artist 3 |
Boydell, John |
Date |
1771 |
Material |
Ink, Paper |
Medium |
Mezzotint Engraving |
Digital Collections Link |
https://digital.sciencehistory.org/works/kp78gh10j |
Search Terms |
Blacksmithing Blacksmiths Eighteenth century Engraving Forge Shops Mezzotint |
Provenance |
Purchased by The Chemical Heritage Foundation from Bonham's Auction, London, 5 July 2017. The Chemical Heritage Foundation, 2017. |