Virgil's Tomb by Moonlight, with Silius Italicus Declaiming

Virgil's Tomb by Moonlight, with Silius Italicus Declaiming

Artist: Joseph Wright of Derby

Year: 1779

Medium: Oil on canvas

Artistic and Historical Context

Joseph Wright of Derby's "Virgil's Tomb by Moonlight, with Silius Italicus Declaiming" exemplifies the artist's fascination with dramatic chiaroscuro and the sublime, capturing the ethereal quality of moonlight. The painting reflects the 18th-century Romantic interest in classical antiquity and the power of nature, themes prevalent in Wright's oeuvre. Wright's work is significant for its innovative use of light and shadow, which influenced the development of Romanticism in British art. The depiction of Silius Italicus, a Roman poet, at Virgil's tomb underscores the Enlightenment's reverence for classical literature and intellectual discourse. Joseph Wright of Derby, known for his industrial and scientific subjects, was a key figure in the English Enlightenment, often associated with the Lunar Society of Birmingham. His ability to blend scientific curiosity with artistic expression marks him as a pivotal figure in the transition from Enlightenment to Romantic art.

"Virgil's Tomb by Moonlight, with Silius Italicus Declaiming" by Joseph Wright of Derby, created in 1779, is an oil on canvas painting that exemplifies the artist's mastery of chiaroscuro, capturing the dramatic interplay of light and shadow. The artwork depicts the Roman poet Silius Italicus reciting at the tomb of Virgil, set against a moonlit landscape, reflecting the Romantic fascination with classical antiquity and the sublime.