Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wright, Richard (1735-1775?)
WRIGHT, RICHARD (1735–1775?), marine painter, born at Liverpool in 1735, was brought up as a ship and house painter. An entirely self-taught artist, he first appeared as an exhibitor in London in 1760, and between that date and 1773 exhibited twenty-five works with the Incorporated Society of Artists and one with the Free Society. He was a man of rough manners and warm temper, and during his membership of the Incorporated Society he took an active lead among those discontented with its affairs. His exhibited pictures included ‘A Storm with a Shipwreck;’ ‘Sunset, a Fresh Breeze;’ ‘A Fresh Gale;’ ‘River with Boats, &c., Moonlight.’ In 1764 a premium was offered by the Society of Arts for the best marine picture; this he won, as was the case with similar prizes given by the society in 1766 and 1768. His most notable work is a sea-piece, for which he obtained a premium of fifty guineas in 1764; from it William Woollett [q. v.] engraved his fine plate ‘The Fishery.’ No doubt owing to excellence of the engraver's work, a copy of this was published in France, on which the name of Vernet is affixed as painter. There is a picture by him in the collection at Hampton Court, ‘The Royal Yacht bringing Queen Charlotte to England in a Storm.’ His wife and daughters were also painters. He died about 1775.
[Bryan's Dict. ed. Graves; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Graves's Dict. of Artists.]