Peter Perez Burdett and his First Wife Hannah 1765

Joseph Wright of Derby painted this double portrait of Peter Perez Burdett and his first wife, Hannah, using oil on canvas. The composition is immediately striking: Burdett sits to the left with a robust, earthy palette, while Hannah stands to the right, enveloped in softer, ethereal tones. The formal arrangement suggests a dialogue between intellect and nature. Burdett, an accomplished surveyor, is positioned near a brick wall, a symbol of calculated construction, holding a device for measuring. Hannah stands freely amidst a backdrop of open sky and distant landscape, appearing almost like a figure in a dream. Wright's use of contrasting light further emphasizes this dichotomy. He illuminates Hannah with a gentle, almost otherworldly glow, while Burdett is cast in a more grounded, direct light. The textures, too, are telling—from the rough brick to the delicate lace, Wright uses materiality to subtly explore their distinct characters. This work challenges simple categorization; it is at once a personal portrait and a commentary on Enlightenment values. By employing formal elements to probe the depths of his subjects' identities, Wright transcends the conventions of portraiture, inviting endless interpretations.