The Captive, from Sterne

"The Captive, from Sterne" is a compelling Oil painting by Joseph Wright of Derby, created in 1774 and now housed in the National Gallery of Canada. This Canvas vividly captures the emotional intensity characteristic of Romanticism, depicting a figure in captivity with dramatic lighting and expressive detail. Wright first exhibited this Illustration-style work in 1778. Its popularity led to a rare engraved version, with only twenty copies printed before the copper plate was destroyed. In 2012, Derby Museum commissioned a new Canvas interpretation by Emma Tooth, continuing the work’s evocative legacy.