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The Art of John Constable
One-day course
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Join us on this study day as we investigate the life and works of John Constable.
Constable revolutionised landscape painting with his determination to paint what he saw rather than what was thought to be there. His love of landscape, in particular the area around Dedham in Suffolk, inspired him to become a painter, and his paintings of this area are suffused with passion and deep understanding. His greatest paintings present a happy and relaxed image of country life and have become national favourites, frequently reproduced on a variety of objects. However, the familiarity of many of his paintings masks the quiet transformation that they brought to painting, their Romantic belief in a better life and their masterful and radical use of paint.
Constable revolutionised landscape painting with his determination to paint what he saw rather than what was thought to be there. His love of landscape, in particular the area around Dedham in Suffolk, inspired him to become a painter, and his paintings of this area are suffused with passion and deep understanding. His greatest paintings present a happy and relaxed image of country life and have become national favourites, frequently reproduced on a variety of objects. However, the familiarity of many of his paintings masks the quiet transformation that they brought to painting, their Romantic belief in a better life and their masterful and radical use of paint.
His paintings were frequently criticised during his lifetime for the supposedly sketchy and unfinished brushwork. However, it was this vibrant and rapid approach that seems, today, to be so full of life. His move to the larger 'six footer's' secured his reputation both at home and abroad. In order to achieve the much larger scale, Constable changed his working methods. He began to produce full scale oil studies for this works. This approach remained largely unknown until the sketches were donated to the V&A by his daughter. We will be considering Constable's devotion to painting from nature, even when he was painting in the studio.
Despite his radical approach to painting, Constable was a religious man who was devoted to his family. He also had a deeply conservative view of society. We will explore his relationship to the Romantics and how his calm, beautiful and spiritual works relate to a movement that became known for drama and unconventionality.
> Prefer the flexibility of online? Book now for The Art of John Constable (online)
Please note, the study day will not be recorded. Suitable for participants aged 18 or over.
> Prefer the flexibility of online? Book now for The Art of John Constable (online)
Please note, the study day will not be recorded. Suitable for participants aged 18 or over.
Study Day Leader
Dr Matthew Morgan
Dr Matthew Morgan is a freelance art historian, educator and museum professional. Previously Museum Director of Turner's House, and currently an Associate Lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London. He has worked in the heritage sector for 10 years, including at the Royal Collection, the National Gallery, the Wallace Collection and the V&A.
Really enjoyable course which has unexpectedly fired an enthusiasm to know more. Previous V&A Academy Course Attendee
Course overview
John Constable revolutionised landscape painting with his determination to paint what he saw rather than what was thought to be there. His love of landscape, in particular the area around Dedham in Suffolk, inspired him to become a painter, and his paintings of this area are suffused with passion and deep understanding. His greatest paintings present a happy and relaxed image of country life and have become national favourites, frequently reproduced a variety of objects. However, the familiarity of many of his paintings masks the quiet transformation that they brought to painting, their Romantic belief in a better life and their masterful and radical use of paint. Join us on this study day as we investigate the life and works of John Constable.
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One-day course: The Art of John Constable
19 February 2026
£100.00
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+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Open 10.00 - 13.00, Monday to Sunday (closed 24-26 December)
Related events
Header image: Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Ground, Oil painting by John Constable depicting Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire. Great Britain, 1823. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London