Admired in Wright's time, it has been owned by the National Trust since 1924 and made available to the many Peak District visitors.

The unusual reversal of light and shade in the trees in the sketch of Dovedale is said to be after using techniques created by the Russian born Alexander Cozens.

The version at Oberlin College was painted in 1785 to 1786 and sold to Edward Mundy of Shipley Hall.

Wright also did a daylight view of Dovedale in 1787 which he gave to the industrialist Josiah Wedgwood out of respect for his patronage on the arts.

[8] Boothby also purchased two views of nearby Matlock, two paintings of bridges in Rome as well as an unusual 1781 portrait of himself lying by a brook holding a book by Rousseau.