ticketsMember | Make a donation

Smaller Italian sketchbook (containing 43 drawings on 44 leaves)

1774–75
Not on view
British eighteenth-century artists longed to visit Italy to study the riches available in Rome, Florence, and Venice; few collections of art were easily accessible at home (the National Gallery, for example, was not established until 1834). Unlike Sir Joshua Reynolds, whose Italian sketchbook is also shown in this case, Wright did not travel until he was in midcareer, reaching Rome in 1774. The Museum’s collection includes two of his Italian sketchbooks, which mostly contain wash drawings of landscapes and Roman ruins. Although Wright had established his reputation as a painter of portraits and figural groups, when he returned to England, his trip influenced him to focus on landscape.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Smaller Italian sketchbook (containing 43 drawings on 44 leaves)
  • Artist: Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby) (British, Derby 1734–1797 Derby)
  • Date: 1774–75
  • Medium: Graphite, pen and ink, brush and gray and yellow wash or watercolor
  • Dimensions: Overall: 9 7/16 x 7 1/16 x 1/2 in. (24 x 18 x 1.3 cm)
    Sheet: 9 3/16 x 6 3/4 in. (23.4 x 17.1 cm)
  • Classification: Sketchbooks
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1957
  • Object Number: 57.102.1(1–44)
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Ruined monument near Rome (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 5 recto), Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby) British, Brush and gray and yellow ink wash or watercolor, over graphite
Ruined monument near Rome (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 5 recto)
Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby)
1774–75
Roman ruins Including an arched aqueduct and tower (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 2 recto), Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby) British, Brush and gray and yellow ink wash or watercolor
Roman ruins Including an arched aqueduct and tower (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 2 recto)
Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby)
1774–75
Roman ruins with arched alcoves (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 3 recto), Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby) British, Brush and gray ink wash
Roman ruins with arched alcoves (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 3 recto)
Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby)
1774–75
Landscape with an ancient temple converted into a church, at Rome (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 4 recto), Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby) British, Brush and gray and yellow ink wash or watercolor
Landscape with an ancient temple converted into a church, at Rome (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 4 recto)
Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby)
1774–75
Roman ruins (recto). Three figures in classical robes (verso) (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 1), Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby) British, Recto: pen and ink, brush and gray wash, over graphite<br/>Verso: graphite
Roman ruins (recto). Three figures in classical robes (verso) (Smaller Italian sketchbook, leaf 1)
Joseph Wright (Wright of Derby)
1774–75

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.