Joseph Wright of Derby

The Blacksmith's Shop
1771
50 1/2 x 41 in. (128.3 x 104.1 cm)

The smithy is housed in a dilapated religious building, most likely an abandoned church or monastery, and above the arch to the left is the carved figure of an angel. The scene as a whole carries religious undertones, recalling traditional images of the Nativity: Wright has transformed the Adoration of Christ into an adoration of human labor, strength, and skill.