John Leigh Philips, d. 1814, acquired from the artist;
Philips sale, Winstanley & Taylor, Manchester, 31st October, 1814, lot 27, 35 gns, (‘The Lighthouse on Fire: a beautiful and carefully finished picture, full of harmonius effect, of the union of the moon and firelight’) ;
Thomas Pares, purchased at the above sale;
E.H. Pares, son of the above, his sale, Hopwell Hall, 11-14 December, 1893, lot 454;
Commander & Mrs Lister Kaye;
K.J. Blunt, and by descent to 2002.
Exhibitions
Derby, Museum and Art Gallery, 1883, no. 80;
Derby, Museum and Art Gallery, 1934, no. 49;
Derby, Museum and Art Gallery, on loan in the 1960s.
Literature
Recorded in the artist’s manuscript account books;
William Bemrose, The life and works of Joseph Wright, A.R.A., commonly called ‘Wright of Derby’, 1885, p. 122;
Benedict Nicolson, Joseph Wright of Derby, 1968, pp. 140, 261, catalogue no. 295, reproduced pl. 312.