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Print of Experiment on a Bird in the Airpump

National Museum of American History

Object Details

original artist
Wright, Joseph
Description
In 1768, a young English artist named Joseph Wright displayed a large oil painting showing what happens to a bird (in this case a cockatoo) when deprived of air. Demonstrations of this sort were somewhat popular scientific entertainments during the second half of the 18th century. And, as Wright showed in this picture, they could evoke horror as well as fascination. Mezzotint copies of Wright’s painting were soon available. This is one of those copies. The text at the bottom reads: “From the Original Picture Painted by Mr. Joseph Wright” and “Published June 24th 1708” and “Joseph Wright Pinxit” and “J. Boydell excudit 1769” and “Valentine Green del & fecit.”
Ref: Marguerite Helmers, “Painting as Rhetorical Performance: Joseph Wright’s “An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump,” JAC 71 (2001): 71-95.
David Fraser, “Joseph Wright of Derby and the Lunar Society,” in Judy Edgerton, ed., Wright of Derby (London: Tate Gallery, 1990).
T. Clayton, The English Print (New Haven and London, 1997).
Location
Currently not on view
1769
ID Number
PH.321747
catalog number
321747
accession number
244964
Object Name
mezzotint
Physical Description
paper (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 71.1 cm x 80.8 cm x 2.7 cm; 28 in x 31 13/16 in x 1 1/16 in
overall: 28 in x 31 1/2 in x 1 in; 71.12 cm x 80.01 cm x 2.54 cm
place made
United Kingdom: England, London
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
Science & Mathematics
Prints from the Physical Sciences Collection
Art
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_1184150
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-3f63-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

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