John Constable

A fascinating introduction to the life and work of John Constable, highlighting key aspects of his innovative practice and the ways in which he brought a new vivacity to the observation of nature in 19th-century art   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. Constable's idyllic, nostalgic depictions of 19th-century rural life are iconic: attentive to detail, spontaneous in gesture, and bold in their use of color, they are imbued with a sense of drama and narrative, conveying feelings of happiness and sorrow, love and friendship.