Discover Constable & The Hay Wain ★★★★★ The National Gallery | Oct 17, 2024 - Feb 2, 2025 (Free Entry)


The much overused word "iconic" is truly applicable to only a few works of art, but Constable's The Hay Wain can certainly be numbered among them. The image which is familiar from biscuit boxes to tea towels conjures up a picture of rural England that probably never existed, but which has become emblematic in a way that the painter probably never dreamed would happen. It evokes an idyllic vision of the countryside and a nostalgia for a time that probably never was. Fittingly, this exhibition opens with some amusing parodies of the painting, and along with some amusing prints by Rowlandson others later in the show, nicely keeps the whole veneration of the subject in perspective. That said, Constable's work is a truly significant step in the development of landscape painting as a British genre. The work brilliantly bridges the Old Masters' tradition with an increasing interest in naturalism and does so in a manner which demonstrates why it merits its unique place in the artistic pantheon. Indeed, it is not an accident that this work has become embedded in the collective national imagination. This thoughtfully curated display, which offers a timely opportunity to understand why this occurred, is divided into four sections, "The Changing British Landscape," "Constable Before The Hay Wain," "Making The Hay Wain" and "After The Hay Wain," thus providing ample context for the work's appreciation and its re-evaluation. It is fascinating to see Constable's 1820 sketch and full-scale study for The Hay Wain, and to consider how they, plus his cloud studies, contributed to the finished work. This retrospective is part of The National Gallery's Discover series of exhibitions, focussing on works from within the collection, and it is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to reconsider a piece that we all think we know.

Rated: ★★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Image: John Constable, The Hay Wain, 1821 © The National Gallery, London

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN, UK

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