Portrait of Old John, Head Waiter at the King's Head Inn in Derby

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a really cool painting today! It's a portrait of a man named Old John. He wasn't a king or a queen, but he was very important in his own way. Does anyone know what a portrait is? (Pause for answers) Yes, it's a picture of a person! nn This painting is super old! It was made a long, long time ago, in 1780. That's way before your grandparents were even born! The artist was a man named Joseph Wright. He was very clever with light and shadow. Can you see how dark the background is? (Point to the background) It makes Old John's face stand out, doesn't it? nn

Look closely at Old John's face. What do you notice about his skin? (Pause for answers). Yes, it's wrinkled! That means he's an older man. He's probably seen a lot in his life! And look at his coat – it's a dark maroon color. See the little red rose and white flower pinned to it? What do you think those flowers mean? Maybe they represent something special to him. nn

Joseph Wright was amazing at using light and dark. It's called chiaroscuro – a fancy word for making the light really bright and the shadows really dark. It makes the painting look exciting and mysterious, doesn't it? It's like a spotlight shining on Old John! nn

This painting isn't just a pretty picture. It shows us what life was like a long, long time ago. Old John worked at an inn, which is like a hotel. So this painting shows us a regular person from the past. Isn't that interesting? It's like a window into history! nn

The painting is quite big, about as tall as a grown-up! But it still feels very personal and close, like we can almost talk to Old John. What do you think Old John is thinking about? (Pause for answers). It makes you wonder, doesn't it? nn

So, what did you think of Old John's portrait? Did you like the way the artist used light and shadow? What did you think about the flowers? Remember, looking at art is all about thinking and feeling! I hope you enjoyed learning about this amazing painting! Now let's go see some more art!