Doncaster Museum & Art Gallery is fortunate to have in its collection three beautiful oil paintings by one of the most famous English artists of the eighteenth century, Joseph Wright of Derby. They are portraits of William Brooke and Elizabeth and William Pigot. Wright is best known for his paintings of the Industrial Revolution, including 'An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump', which hangs in the National Gallery in London. But the three pictures in Doncaster's collection come from early in his career, when the artist was making his living as a portrait painter. William Brooke, the subject of this portrait, was a man of high social standing and had acted as Mayor of Doncaster on three occasions. He was a wealthy dealer in fabric, and as a leading member of Doncaster Corporation had been involved with the design and building of the Mansion House in Doncaster.