Discover Constable & The Hay Wain

As part of the Discover series, this catalogue explores Constables most famous painting and its social, political and artistic significance. It begins with an introduction to depictions of rural England by the artists predecessors and contemporaries in the British art world, before examining how the English landscape was changing physically and politically at the turn of the nineteenth century. Having set the context, the publication considers Constables life and career prior to producing The Hay Wain, going on to look closely at the making of the painting itself, the artists practice and materials, and the works exhibition in Britain. Two further chapters focus on Constable on the international stage in his lifetime and beyond, and the afterlife of The Hay Wain. EXHIBITION SCHEDULE 17 October 20242 February 2025, The National Gallery, London