A LOOK AT

John Constable Paintings

biography

John Constable was an artist who lived a fairly peaceful existence in the English countryside. Although the life he lived was simple, the impact his art made was profound.

early life

Constable enjoyed painting the rural scenes that surrounded his family’s home en plein air. However, back then, landscape painting was not the esteemed art form it is today.

constable the artist

John Constable’s art was not an instant success. In fact, he struggled to sell his paintings for the majority of his career, and even then, they would not be sold for much.

constable the artist

Constable’s paintings began gaining recognition around 1817. Many applauded him for works such as Flatford Mill (Scene on a Navigable River). His first painting was sold for 100 guineas in 1819.

constable the artist

John Constable’s art received rave reviews in France. He sold more paintings here in a few years than he did in England throughout his entire career.

final years

Constable died on 31 March 1837 of coronary infarction. He was only 60 years old at this time. His body was buried next to that of his wife, Maria.

composition

John Constable always painted nature exactly how he saw it, capturing its raw beauty. During this time, it was customary for artists to alter the scene they painted in order to refine and perfect it.

color & light

John Constable’s use of rich, vibrant colors in his landscapes was highly unique. Constable wanted his paintings to convey what he saw as realistically as he possibly could.

forefather of impressionism

Although John Constable was a Romanticism painter, many of his notable art characteristics bear resemblance to the Impressionists who came later.

paris salon (1824)

The French were enamored by Constable’s talent and originality. So much so that he was awarded a gold medal by the king at the time, Charles X of France himself.

drawings

Before he created his landscape paintings, often using either oil or watercolor paints, he would sketch the area. However, there are few of his drawings still in existence, making them very valuable.

paintings

Constable wished to not only draw attention to his landscapes but also make them appear life-sized, as if one was looking out of a window onto the scene.