Lot 212
  • 212

JOHN CONSTABLE, R.A. | A Watermill

Estimate
60,000 - 80,000 GBP
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Description

  • John Constable
  • A Watermill
  • Watercolour over pencil, heightened with bodycolour and scratching out
  • 190 by 240 mm

Provenance

Mrs A.F. Macfarlane;
sale, London, Sotheby's, 1 April 1993, lot 65,
from where acquired by the late husband of the present owner

Literature

G. Reynolds, The Early Paintings and Drawings of John Constable, Yale 1996, p. 252, no. 33.57

Condition

Support: The sheet is not laid down. The paper is well preserved and there is no evidence of discolouration. There is a skilfully repaired tear, measuring circa 30 mm, located in the sky (to the left of the tall popular tree). This can only be seen on very close inspection. Medium: Many of the watercolour pigments have remained in good condition, although the greens in the trees and other areas have dropped back a little. Overall this rare watercolour is well preserved.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

Constable was born and brought up at East Bergholt, in a house that was built by his father, Golding Constable, who ran a prosperous corn milling business and operated Flatford Mill and Dedham Mill. The Stour valley was the most fertile area of Suffolk and the variety of its gentle hills, picturesque villages and churches and luxuriant meadows provided Constable with the raw materials for many of his greatest paintings. This rare watercolour dates to the 1830s and belongs to a group of works of this date which share the same spontaneity and distinctive use of pen and ink. Although the view has not been identified, it is easy to understand why it appealed to the artist. It is a warm summer’s day and the blue sky is populated with unthreatening clouds which, blown by a strong breeze, move at pace across the landscape. In the foreground, a dog paddles in the shallows of a river, while his master fishes nearby. Beyond, in front of the mill, a boy stands on a bridge and looks down to the bumbling white waters below.

Constable was deeply attached to scenes such as these and he noted in a letter from 1821: 'the sound of water escaping the mill dams...willows, old rotten Banks, slimy posts, & brickwork. I love such things... As long as I do paint I shall never cease to paint such places.1 

1. S. Cove, J. Gage, A. Lyles, C. Rhyne, F. Kelly, Constable, The Great Landscapes, London 2006, p. 153