Edward Becher Leacroft of Wirksworth 1762

This portrait of Edward Becher Leacroft was painted by Joseph Wright of Derby. It's an interesting example of how the conventions of portraiture were evolving in England at the time. Consider how Wright places his sitter not in a formal interior but in a landscape. This speaks to a rising middle class, eager to associate themselves with landed gentry and country life. Leacroft’s confident pose and direct gaze suggest a man of self-assurance, while his fashionable clothing indicates wealth and social standing. But Wright was based in Derby, a provincial centre outside the London art world and institutions like the Royal Academy. Wright was known for portraying those connected with the industrial revolution. What was the wider social context of the work? Local records might tell us about Leacroft’s profession, status, and relationships, shedding light on the social dynamics of the time. By understanding the economic and social background of both artist and sitter, we gain a deeper understanding of what this image was intended to communicate.