Portrait of Richard Arkwright Junior with his Wife Mary and Daughter Anne 1790

Joseph Wright of Derby captured Richard Arkwright Junior with his wife Mary and daughter Anne in paint, immortalizing them within the visual conventions of the late 18th century. This portrait offers a glimpse into the life of a family deeply embedded in the burgeoning Industrial Revolution. Richard Arkwright Junior inherited his father's cotton mills, and with it, a position of considerable power and wealth. We see the trappings of this status in their clothing and the carefully constructed pose. Note that the family is set in a natural landscape, which was very fashionable at the time. Mary is seated lower than Richard, and Anne leans into her father, highlighting the patriarchal structure of the time. Their garments represent the societal expectations of how to perform gender and class. However, looking closely, we notice the gaze of each member of the family. They all avoid direct eye contact with the viewer, giving the portrait a distant feel. The painting offers a reflection on the personal negotiations required of those living through transformative moments in history.