Science, alchemy and light: paintings by Joseph Wright of Derby.
This article considers two paintings by the English painter, Joseph Wright of Derby (1734-97), 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump' and 'The Alchemist in Search of the Philosopher's Stone' as painterly reflections on the early industrial culture. Particularly interesting in the "Experiment on a Bird" is the broad spectrum of spectator's reactions to the experiment; this can be related to the contemporary debate on the contextualization of science.
Dominiczak
Marek H
MH
Department of Biochemistry, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, UK. mhd1b@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
D000422:Alchemy; D004739:England; D049671:History, 18th Century; D010151:Paintings / Q000266:history*; D012586:Science / Q000266:history*