Constable: The Poet of the English Landscape

John Constable (1776–1837) is arguably one of England’s best loved artists; his fame and popularity are rivalled only by those of his great contemporary, J M W Turner. Turner, his reputation rests on a handful of very well known paintings, usually Suffolk scenes such as Flatford Mill or Hay-Wain. Many of the magisterial productions of his last years, including Hadleigh Castle and The Opening of the Waterloo Bridge, are a far cry from the Suffolk scenes, whilst his accomplishments in the difficult and competitive genre of marine painting have been consistently undervalued.
Barry Venning’s introduction presents Constable’s background, his family life, his education and the early friendships from which he drew patronage, support and advice. Barry Venning discusses the artist’s relationship with the great tradition of European landscape painting and examines the historical and cultural context within which Constable lived and worked.