Constable

John Constable (1776-1837) exerted a major influence upon the development of landscape painting and Realism in the nineteenth century, while his depictions of the English countryside have become an enduring part of our collective imagination, ensuring his fame both at home and abroad. Among the first artists to consistently exploit the possibilities of painting in the open air, Constable had a passion for the natural world around him, capturing its beauty in oil paintings of unprecedented brilliance---their sparkling vigour in contrast to his nostalgic sense of the rural scene and its inhabitants. Constable's groundbreaking vision exploited contemporary advances in the natural sciences to achieve striking technical innovations, even as it celebrated a local world that was fast disappearing in the face of industrialization and modernity. Jonathan Clarkson's accessible yet inquiring appraisal of Constable's art presents incisive commentary on all his celebrated masterpieces, such as The Hay Wain and The Leaping Horse, alongside a rich selection of lesser known drawings, studies, portraits and oil sketches. Constable's life, work and theories emerge with a fresh clarity in this comprehensive new study.