CONSTABLE, John
(b. 1776, East Bergholt, d. 1837, Hampstead)

Malvern Hall in Warwickshire

1809
Oil on canvas, 51 x 77 cm
Tate Gallery, London

Constable is one of Britain's greatest artists,He sought inspiration directly from nature for his landscape painting. In accordance with his desire for pure and unaffected representation, calm, almost realistic depictions of scenes in his native Suffolk form the larger part of his work.

His careful studies of nature are evident in this painting, which he executed around 1809. Although the scene is so still and there is no trace of sentimentality or theatricality, the painting is full of flickering light despite the cool objectivity, and this anticipates the Impressionists.