Artwork
The Hon. Richard Fitzwilliam, 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam of Merrion
The Hon. Richard Fitzwilliam, 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam of Merrion is an oil painting by Joseph Wright of Derby. It dates from 1764 and is held in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum. The oil portrait, executed in 1764, presents Richard FitzWilliam, the seventh Viscount FitzWilliam, in formal attire.
About this work
Overview
The oil portrait, executed in 1764, presents Richard FitzWilliam, the seventh Viscount FitzWilliam, in formal attire. He stands before a darkened backdrop, his gaze directed outward, conveying a composed seriousness. The composition emphasizes the sitter’s status through detailed rendering of his clothing and the stark contrast between light and shadow.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures the Viscount at a mature age, dressed in a blue coat trimmed with gold buttons, a brown jacket with red lining, and a crisp white shirt and cravat. The crossed arms and direct eye contact suggest confidence and authority, typical of eighteenth‑century aristocratic portraiture, intended to affirm the sitter’s social rank and personal dignity.
Technique & Style
Joseph Wright employs tenebrism, using a concentrated light source to illuminate the figure while the surrounding space recedes into deep darkness. This chiaroscuro effect enhances the three‑dimensionality of the flesh and fabrics, rendering textures such as silk and wool with meticulous realism. Wright’s brushwork balances fine detail in the face with broader strokes in the background.
History & Provenance
The painting was created by the English artist Joseph Wright of Derby, whose career spanned from the mid‑1730s to his death in 1797. It entered the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of eighteenth‑century British portraiture, reflecting the museum’s historical ties to the FitzWilliam family.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph Wright (3 September 1734 – 29 August 1797), styled Joseph Wright of Derby, was an English painter who specialised in portrait painting and landscape art.
William Fermor
Stephen Croft, Junior
William Fermor
Edward Howard (1744–1767)
Portrait of a gentleman in red turban
Adolf Fredrik (1710-1771), king of Sweden, duke of Holstein-Gottorp, prince bishop of Lübeck, married to Lovisa Ulrika of Prussia
Portrait of P.B. Sheremetev
Robert Wynne,1732-98
Self Portrait in Van Dyck Costume (aged about twenty)
John Dart
Portretul unui tânăr
James Maitland, 7th Earl of Lauderdale