Getty to Open Joseph Wright Candlelight Exhibition
A Light in the Dark runs at the Getty Center from Nov. 24, 2026 through March 14, 2027, featuring a recently rediscovered painting once believed lost.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Fine Art
The J. Paul Getty Museum will open "A Light in the Dark: Joseph Wright of Derby" at the Getty Center on Nov. 24, 2026, running through March 14, 2027. The show centers on the artist's candlelight paintings, including "Two Boys with a Bladder," which the museum acquired in 2020.
Why it matters
The exhibition brings together early candlelight works by Wright for the first time, including a painting that had been considered lost. Its research has also identified a technique rarely documented in 18th century British art.
Wright developed his candlelight paintings in the 1760s, and 'Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candle-Light' dates to 1765. Wright is the only known 18th century British artist to have used the silver leaf technique identified by Getty conservators.
The players
J. Paul Getty Museum
The Los Angeles art museum housed at the Getty Center is among the largest art institutions in the United States and organizes the exhibition.
Joseph Wright of Derby
The 18th century English painter, born in 1734, was known for his dramatic candlelight scenes and works depicting scientific subjects.
Julia Siemon
A curator at the Getty who will present a lecture on Wright's candlelight paintings on Dec. 6, 2026.
The details
Getty conservators and scientists found that Wright placed silver leaf beneath the paint in both 'Two Boys with a Bladder' and its companion work. The exhibition also includes drawings, prints, and a self-portrait of Wright on loan from the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, which has never previously traveled to the United States.
Timeline
1772: Two companion paintings were last displayed together.
2020: The Getty acquired 'Two Boys with a Bladder.'
Nov. 24, 2026: The exhibition opens at the Getty Center.
Dec. 6, 2026: Curator Julia Siemon gives a lecture on the candlelight paintings.
March 12, 2027: Siemon and Getty conservators present a lecture on the silver leaf findings.
Big Picture
Wright's candlelight series from the 1760s, beginning with 'Three Persons Viewing the Gladiator by Candle-Light' in 1765, is the core of this exhibition. The Getty's new work places 'Two Boys with a Bladder' beside those early paintings for the first time.
The exhibition runs at the Getty Center from Nov. 24, 2026 through March 14, 2027, giving visitors a limited window to see the works. Lectures on Dec. 6 and March 12 offer additional ways to engage with the research behind the show.
The takeaway
The exhibition shows how conservation science can recover details, such as the silver leaf beneath Wright's paint, that change how a body of work is understood. Visitors can see the process and the paintings together during the run.
What happens next
The exhibition opens Nov. 24, 2026, with a curator lecture on Dec. 6, 2026 and a conservation lecture on March 12, 2027.
Further reading
For more on exhibitions like this, explore Fine Art coverage in Los Angeles.
More information
Visit the Getty Museum website for exhibition details and visitor information.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Beverly Press & Park Labrea News.
