John Constable (June 11, 1776 – March 31, 1837) was a British Romantic artist. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for his landscape paintings of the area surrounding his home - the area of Dedham Vale is now known as "Constable Country". His most famous paintings include Dedham Vale of 1802 and The Hay Wain of 1821. Although his paintings are now among the most popular and valuable in British art, he was never financially successful, and he did not become a member of the establishment until he was elected to the Royal Academy at the age of 52. He sold more paintings in France than in his native England.

Biography

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John Constable was born in East Bergholt, a village on the River Stour in Suffolk, England, to Golding and Ann Constable. His father was a wealthy corn merchant, owner of Flatford Mill and, later, Dedham Mill, and the surrounding countryside was to become the subject of a large proportion of John's art. Although Constable was his parents' second son, his older brother was mentally handicapped and thus John was expected to succeed his father in business. He worked at the corn business after leaving school, but John's younger brother Abram eventually took over the running of the mills.

In his youth, Constable embarked on amateur sketching trips in the surrounding Suffolk countryside. He was introduced to George Beaumont, a collector, who showed him his prized Hagar and the Angel by Claude Lorrain. This inspired Constable. Later, while visiting relatives in Middlesex, he was introduced to John Thomas Smith, a professional artist. Smith advised him on painting, but he also urged Constable to enter his father's business rather than take up art professionally.

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