At Ogston Hall another inscription of the same class is to be seen, in Wright’s handwriting, on the back of a portrait of John Holland, who was a very intimate friend, viz.:
“John Holland, painted by his friend, Joseph Wright, A.D., 1787.
“‘However odd the phyz pourtrayed,
What artist has a better made.’”
Again, on the back of a landscape, now in the possession of Godfrey Wedgwood, Esq., is written the following:—
“The gift of Joseph Wright to his friend Jos. Wedgwood, Esq., the patron and encourager of living artists, 1787.”
In the Appendix, amongst the list of pictures, will be found many more instances of such gifts. Thus: “Given to my friend Tate.” “For Mr. Hayley. Mem. not paid.” etc.
As a Water-colour painter of the English school, Wright must be ranked as one of the earliest. Whilst he largely used chalk, pencil, and oils in his sketches, he also used Water-colours in not a few of his Italian sketches taken in 1774. He evidently little thought then, that Water-colour painting would advance and take the high position as an art that it occupies to-day, when he, as a pioneer, made those early Water-colour sketches; for he, in his correspondence, remarks, “1795. I am glad to hear my friend, Tate, succeeded so well in Water-colours. I daresay when the application of them is well understood it is pleasant work.” “1793. I am sorry I cannot fulfil my engagement with Mr. Moreland, Mr. Gisborne does not think himself at liberty to divulge Smith’s mode of washing with Water-colours.”
In 1795 he writes, “I am glad to hear my good friend (Tate) has laid hold of his brushes again. Paper and camel hair pencils are better adapted to the amusement of ladies than the pursuit of an artist.”
The Messrs. Redgrave, in their “Century of Painters,” say, “We have heard of, but not seen, works in this medium by Wright, of Derby.” It is gratifying to know that there are in existence some interesting landscape sketches and portraits in Water-colours by Wright, that tend to show that Wright could use the new medium with great effect and brilliancy.