Constable, John

Constable, John (1776-1837), painter, b. East Bergholt, Suffolk, England.

John Constable was the son of a wealthy miller and as a boy, he painted scenes from the countryside around his home.

At first he worked in the mill but then his father sent him to London to study at the Royal Academy of Art. After that he lived in London.

Constable made up his mind to paint outdoor scenes as they really were. Other artists at this time changed the scenes in ways they all agreed about. As a result, fellow painters thought Constable's work was rough and ready. One said, 'Constable's work makes me call for my umbrella', and the man who bought his first painting employed another artist to paint in a new sky.

Constable's work was liked in France. Two of his paintings, The Hay-Wain and White Horse, won gold medals there and French artists began to copy the way he painted. Yet, when he died, most of his paintings remained unsold.

Many decades later, art experts realized the immense value of them and today some of his finest outdoor scenes can be seen in the National Gallery and the Tate Gallery in London, and in special exhibitions around the world.

See Sarah Cove Constable: The Great Landscapes