Creator story
Surprising fact
Constable made dozens of open-air oil sky studies, noting the exact date, time and weather of each cloud.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaRomanticism
John Constable
John Constable (1776–1837) was a master of English landscape, who painted the fields, skies and rivers of his native Suffolk with fresh, direct observation. The Hay Wain is among Britain's best-loved paintings.
Constable's fresh skies and free brushwork astonished French painters and helped spark the Barbizon school and Impressionism.
- Painted the working landscape of his native Suffolk with deep affection.
- His fresh skies and broken brushwork influenced French painting.
- The Hay Wain remains one of Britain's most beloved images.
Key works
A key work by John Constable
These works make it easiest to see how the artist changed form, content, and the very way art could exist in culture.
1821
The Hay Wain
The Hay Wain – originally titled Landscape: Noon – is a painting by John Constable, completed in 1821, which depicts a rural scene on the River Stour between the English counties of Suffolk and Essex.