John Constable (1776-1837), Landscape painter

Sitter in 6 portraits
Artist associated with 6 portraits
Constable is celebrated as one of England's greatest and most progressive landscape artists. He drew lifelong inspiration from his native Suffolk. In 1802 he declared his opinion that 'natural painture' - or landscape - could rival history painting. He made hundreds of outdoor oil sketches, which capture the changing skies with near scientific precision; these helped him bring an immediacy and authenticity to exhibition works developed in the studio. Constable met with little contemporary success at home. However The Hay Wain (1821) did receive a gold medal at the Paris Salon of 1824. His work as a portrait painter is less well known although he produced more than one hundred during his career.