Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight

Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candlelight is a 1765 painting by Joseph Wright of Derby and now resides in the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool [United Kingdom].

The painting was one of the first in Wright of Derby's "Candlelight Pictures" series and was originally exhibited in London, gaining much attention.

The candlelight causes the lapels to cast deep shadows, which in turn create well-defined diagonal lines that carry the viewer's eyes upwards to the man's face.

The man's cheeks and lips have a rosy hue, emulating the red of his lapels and creating a sense of unity within the figure.

These elements create a clear focal point in the center of the work: the interaction between the statue and the man who is intently studying it.

People were liberated from stringent political regimes, superstition due to the lack of knowledge, and a feeling of social exclusion based on class.

[5] Throughout the course of his life, Joseph Wright of Derby made it a point to interact with people of all forms of a new, Enlightenment-Era class known as Polite Society.

Models of the Borghese Gladiator, such as the one in the image, were common items that were available for sale and display in the households of the professional upper class.

He is pushing the Gladiator reproduction forward in a way that does not allow him a good view of the subject, but provides the perfect angle for his pupils.

He is thought to be representative of the wisdom that the older generations provide and a reminder that a love of art and pursuit of knowledge can never be satisfied.