A Legacy Carved in Clay and Canvas In the turbulent dawn of a new nation, few artists captured the burgeoning spirit of American identity as intimately as Joseph Wright. Born in 1756 in Bordentown, New Jersey, Wright was a man of dual heritage and immense talent, the son of a Philadelphia barrelmaker and a celebrated wax sculptor. His early life was marked by a nomadic pursuit of excellence, moving from the quietude of colonial Americ…