John Constable: The Making of a Master

by Mark L. Evans

Criticized in his lifetime for his rough handling of paint, John Constable’s (1776–1837) paintings have long defined the idea of the English countryside, its geography fully captured by his remarkable naturalism. His “vivid and timeless” oil sketches, as he called them, have been celebrated since the 1890s as precur­sors of Impressionism, Modernism, and photogra­phy. This major book reconciles the two defining aspects of Constable’s work—his revolutionary painting techniques and his reverence for the old masters. Where other artists competed with the masters, Constable assimilated their ideas and values to imbue his own naturalistic vision with dynamism. This seeming incompatibility, placed in the context of the artist’s wider practice, helps delineate why Constable remains such a powerful influence on contemporary artists.

Genres: Art

223 pages, Hardcover

First published September 2, 2014

Reviews

[Annelies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do I love Constable's paintings? I know it's one of the great english masters. But I find his work often to much worked out, too elaborate though I can appreciate his mastership. Then I discovered his sketches for his oilpaintings. It was at an exhibition in Ghent. I was overwhelmed by these oilpaint sketches, by the drawings. They are much more spontaneous and simple. They catch the essence of the landscape. A favourite of mine is 'Weymouth Bay'. You see the turmoil in the air in action, before a storm, and the darkening seascape.

We learn also from the book about the influences of earlier painters such as Jacob Van Ruisdael. Constable copies some of his work but it is much more modern. You see the stroke of the brush so it must be made very fast.

Later, at the great Constable exhibition in London, I could adore all his paintings, not only the sketches. They have both their qualities, but The sketches I still prefer.

[Harris Silverman · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Constable: The Making of a Master

The title of this exhibition catalogue provides a pretty good clue as to the nature of the essays in it. The show focused on Constable's development as an artist, and the essays reflect that: they cover such topics as his art collection, his focus on copying the work of other artists, his technical methods, and the sources (i.e., previous artists) on whose work he drew in his own compositions. In other words, it's solid, meticulous, impressive, art-historical stuff, more for the specialist art historian than for the general reader. In still other words, it's all a bit dull, and gets a bit too far into the weeds. Most of the essays read like lists or catalogues of pictures, and they're a bit of a slog; they may not be of as much interest to most people as those in a book such as, for example, Renoir: The Body, The Senses. You don't come away from them with a deeper understanding of the nature and importance of the artist's work, and there's no real analysis of the work itself, which is my main interest in books of this type.

I might add that the catalogue is a bit difficult to use in that it uses multiple numbering systems for the illustrations, which makes it hard to find the one you want.

[Andrea Engle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In depth exploration of John Constable's art, most particularly the sources for and influences (such as Claude, Ruisdael, and Gainsborough) on his work ... the book also traces his artistic practices and methodology of painting ... I only regret that I did not see the exhibition to which this book is an accompaniment ... still, the illustrations are excellent ...