John Constable

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This definitive study of the legendary British landscape painter John Constable (1776-1837) reveals the full breadth and originality of his vision of nature.In his heroic pursuit of 'natural painting', Constable took plein-airism to its limits in the early years of the nineteenth century before deciding that an overall naturalism could only be achieved in the studio. A sequence of masterpieces followed. In such works as The Hay Wain and The Leaping Horse, Constable recreated his native Suffolk landscape in novel and potent images that continue to influence the way the English countryside is seen. It was in his oil sketches, however, that he struck his most revolutionary note, finding a free and expressive way of painting that was to influence generations of later artists.This comprehensive and beautifully illustrated survey, which accompanied the ground-breaking 1991 exhibition at London's Tate Gallery, combines a thematic with a chronological approach to show the variety of the artist's responses to particular subjects and places as well as his changing attitudes toward nature and the business of picture-making. Many recently discovered paintings and drawings are included, while fresh insights are offered into more familiar works. Full use is made not only of the latest art-historical studies but also of recent technical research, including the first detailed examination of Constable's materials and methods. With over 500 illustrations - 280 in color - and an in-depth commentary on 345 paintings, drawings, and prints, this is the most exhaustive and up-to-date account of Constable.