JOHN CONSTABLE

John Constable (1776–1837) is one of the greatest landscape painters of all time. Inspired by nature and the ever-changing British weather, he dedicated his career to capturing the beauty of the natural world, often painting in the open air and, rather radically, making expressive sketches in oil on the spot. His idyllic, nostalgic depictions of nineteenth-century rural life are iconic: attentive to detail, spontaneous in gesture and bold in their use of colour, they are imbued with a sense of drama and narrative, conveying feelings of happiness and sorrow, love and friendship. But they also possess a clarity of expression borne of familiarity: preferring to paint the places he knew and loved, it is Constable’s landscapes which demonstrate an emotional connection, a true sense of place, that are among his greatest works.