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.
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.
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’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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.