The artwork, titled “View in Matlock Dale, Looking Towards Black Rock Escarpment,” was created by Joseph Wright around 1780 to 1785 using oil on canvas. It belongs to the Romanticism movement and portrays a landscape genre. The dimensions of the artwork are 76.2 x 58.5 cm, and it is currently housed at the Yale Centre for British Art, Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, US.
The artwork depicts a serene and picturesque view of Matlock Dale, with a focus on the distant Black Rock Escarpment. The landscape is abundant with lush greenery and towering rock formations which appear to be bathed in the soft, golden light of either dawn or dusk. In the foreground, a lone, elegantly branched tree stands tall while the background reveals a gentle, rolling landscape. The composition captures the natural beauty and tranquil ambiance characteristic of Wright’s depictions, encapsulating the Romantic appreciation for nature’s sublime and magnificent qualities. The meticulous detail and delicate gradation of light produce an atmospheric and contemplative scene that invites the observer to a moment of introspective reflection.
