“Rome 11th Nov. /74.
“To Richard Wright.
“My Dear Brother,
“I am just returned from an Excursion to Naples wch I made partly to satisfy my curiosity for seeing one of the most wonderful parts of the world, and partly to improve my health impaired by the intense heats and too close application to study. There has not been known at Rome so hot a summer as the last these many years past. In the month of August the thermometer in the sun was 120 degrees, in ye shade 96. At Florence the heat was so great as to affect many with a kind of delirium, and others it proved fatal to. I never before experienced such intolerable heat, so great was the perspiration occasioned by it, notwithstanding we have one of the most airy situations here, as made it necessary to sit still and constantly wipe off the sweat as it distilled, this relaxed the mind and body so much as to render them unfit for study and application. I am surprised Sir Wm. Meredith is not punctual in his payment, if he has not paid when you write to me again, tell me so, and I will write to him about it. I am glad my tenants like their closes, I hope their pains and expenses will be rewarded; give my compts. to them. The 19th Nov., the day you intend to celebrate your Nuptial, now draws very nigh—may health, long life, and every joyous circumstance of the marriage state attend you and yours is ye sincere wish of yours, &c.
“Mrs. Wright begs to be remembered to you and your intended lady, with every good wish for your felicity. She is, thank God, well, and the little Roman is very bonny, and the admiration of all that see her.
“A day or two before the time appointed for my introduction to the Pope, he was taken with an indisposition, which in a short time robb’d him of his life and me of my honours.... Remember me with respect to all my friends; when you see Whitehurst,[18] tell him I wished for his company when on Mount Vesuvius, his thoughts would have center’d in the bowels of the mountain, mine skimmed over the surface only; there was a very considerable eruption at the time, of which I am going to make a picture. ’Tis the most wonderful sight in nature.
“Adieu, God be with you and my friends, to whom remember me with most cordial love,
“I am,
“Your Affectionate Brother,
“JO. WRIGHT.”
“Rome, May 4, /75.
“For Miss Wright, at Mr. Wright’s, Surgeon, Derby.
“Dear Sister,
“I thought I should have dated this letter from Florence, but I am like all other artists that come here, who much outstay their intended time, and at last leave the noble and renowned city (Rome) with reluctance. Notwithstanding, I have been very industrious, more so perhaps than has been consistent with my health, yet shall I leave undone many things that I covet much to have. I have staid a month longer than I intended, to have an answer from Mr. Baxter, the Russian Consul, concerning the picture I have painted of Mount Vesuvius in a great eruption, ’tis the grandest effect I ever painted. If the Empress is to have it, it must be shipped from Leghorn to St. Petersburg, and I must wait here to see it off. I wish she may take it, a 100 guineas will not be unacceptable, for it is not so cheap living abroad as generally represented; we pay for a floor consisting of 6 rooms at the rate of £40 a year. The tour of Italy is now become so fashionable, and the English cavaliers so profuse with their money, that the artists suffer for their prodigality.
“I should have finished this letter according to the date, but have again had inflamed eyes, and have been much indisposed with sore throats and colds. The weather this spring has been very awkward, always varying from hot to cold—sometimes harsh, dry winds, at other times violent rains; in short, the air of Rome is by no means good; and when I consider my health only, & the many indispositions I have had here, I am not sorry we are to leave on Sunday, 10th June. We go from hence to Florence, where I suppose we shall stay a month or six weeks, & then to Parma, where the most famous picture of Corregio is. If the picture answers to its character, I shall make a copy of it, it will improve me; and if I choose to sell it, it will be advantageous. When I have finished at Parma, we shall go to Venice to study Titian’s colouring. These engagements will detain me in Italy the hot weather, and to return to England in the cold will not be advisable for me. If I can get over the Alps before the snow falls, and pass the winter advantageously at Bordeaux, in the south of France, it will, I believe, be the best scheme for my health. It has been said, if I chose to paint portraits at Bordeaux I might be employed all the winter.
“Give my compts. to my good friend Coltman (to whom I wrote some 7 or 8 weeks ago), and tell him of my intention. But I should not choose to go there on an uncertainty, as it is not a place of art. Perhaps he will write to some of his friends there to know what encouragement I might meet with there for a couple of months. Make compts. to Mrs. Fowler & to her most ingenuous & agreeable daughter—in a word, to all friends whom I have in my heart, but cannot particularize.
“Dear little Nancy is a fine little wench. An Italian gentn who saw her in the street sometime ago said, what a fine girl she was, but was absurd enough to say at the same time, it was a pity the English shou’d have fine children, they used’em so cruelly, mine goes almost naked. The Italians load theirs with dress.
“Yr. affectionate Bro.,
“J. WRIGHT.”
“Parma, July 24th, 1775.
“Dear Sir,
“In conformity to your request I am sat down to give you my opinion of the famous picture of Correggio, of which how shall I dare speak, but in the current terms of exalted praise. You know the world’s opinion of it, & if mine does not exactly coincide with it, it is not from any affectation of being singular in my opinion, but the result of such judgment as I have, divested of every thing that has been said, for or against it.
“As to the composition & light & shadow, you are as well acquainted as myself from ye copies you have seen. The picture is beautifully coloured, has surprising brilliancy, without whiteness, and is very harmonious. The parts are very round and forcibly painted, but is laboured as to beget tameness—I had almost said woodenness in many parts. The faces are wonderfully soft, but they want those beautiful turns & spirited touches we see in nature, & which keeps high-finished pictures from looking heavy. The flesh is finely coloured, is very clear, and has a sanguine appearance that is very pleasing, but withal not so true as Titian’s Venus. The draperies are neither very finely set nor painted, nor had Correggio the finest eye for shapes; yet after all the whole together is wonderfully sweet, & one cannot help being charmed with the effect. Romney only painted the Magdalen’s head, the picture answered not his expectations; and Mr. Parry left his quite unfinished, as the picture did not appear so fine to him a second time as it did the first. Mr. Copley has been hard at it five weeks, & says he will spend twice that time more over it, but he will get it like the original. It is with infinite labour he produces what he does, but that is entre nous. I have left my outline, with two English three-quarter cloths, which you seemed to admire, with the Custodio of the academy, directed for you.
“I am quite tired of seeing pictures, the general run of them are so indifferent—even Venice answered not my expectation. Titian’s works are so changed and damaged, & when Mr. Romney said he was not to be seen out of Venice, he meant in grand composition & expression.
“In the Sacristy of the Salute are three ceilings, the one of David & Goliath, Abraham offering his son, & the third I don’t know ye subject; these are finely painted & designed in a Mic’ Angelo like style. Romney did not copy the St. John; a disaster happened which you will hear of at Venice, & which I have not now time to relate; he painted a half-length of Montague and two or three heads, which he will finish in England. Mr. Jenkins was so obliging to ship my cases for me. I had desired poor Mr. Stevens to pay Mr. Jenkins any charge there might be upon them; I wish you would be kind enough to settle it for me, I will repay you when I have the pleasure to see you in England. If you will indulge me with a line directed to me at Germany—Girardot & Co., Bankers in Parma—I shall be very happy to hear from you.
“Mrs. Downman and Mrs. Wright send their best compliments to you, as does little Pop her ‘Ta.’
“I am, Dr Sir,
“Your friend,
“Jo. WRIGHT.”
“A Monsieur Humphrey[19] Pittore Anglois,
“a Monsr Varrini,
“Firenze, N.”
Extracts from Wright’s Journal During His Travels in Italy, in 1774–5.
“Naples.—St. Martino Del Monte. In a Chapel belonging to the Castle of St. Elmo is the famous picture of Spanioletto of a Dead Christ; this picture is esteemed his best. Mr. Forrester bought one of the same in Rome, which is now in the possession of——, and thought equally good. ’Tis well painted and coloured, has great expression and force. In the Church in compartments over the arches are single figures, painted also by Spanioletto, some of them very fine, indeed. I admire his manner, ’tis forcible and natural. This Church of St. Martino Del Monte belongs to the order of Carthusians, which is the richest of all orders, indeed, the riches of this Church prove it. Such elegant things of gold and silver, set with all kinds of precious stones, I never before beheld. In the King’s palace on Capo Del Monte is a very large collection of Pictures, Medals, Cameos, and Intaglios. The famous picture of Titian of Danaë in the shower of gold, is wonderfully painted, but time and varnishes have robbed it of its beautiful colouring, it is now too yellow and spotty. The action is fine and well adapted to the subject, it is better drawn than any I have seen of him.
“In the palace on Capo Del Monte is perhaps the largest piece of Rock Crystal in the world, it is of an irregular shape, one way it is upwards of a yard in diameter, the other about a yard, ’tis very transparent. Here are a great number of Cameos, both single heads and compositions wonderfully fine. Here also is the finest and largest Cameo I ever saw, it is an oval figure, and upwards of 6 inches the longest way. An Holy family by Raphael, small figures very highly finished, the picture very capital. Lord Scarsdale has a copy of it. That sweet little Magdalen lying along on the ground, by Corregio, is here also, as are many others by the same Master.
“In the King of Naples’ palace is a very capital picture of a Holy family, by Raphael, it is finely composed, the Virgin is lovely, and the expression of Jesus and St. John wonderful. It is in his best manner and in good preservation, the Cartoon of it is at the King’s palace on Capo Monte, the size of the picture. At the same place is a very fine portrait of a Pope, by Titian, he is sitting in a chair. It is charmingly painted, with a full pencil, and as far as I can judge the effect is produced without glazing.