John Constable, R.A. 1776-1837

In the late Spring of 1803 Constable spent nearly a month on board The Coutts, an East Indiaman travelling from Chatham to Deal down the Thames and Medway, and captained by an old friend of his father's, Robert Torin (1760-1824).  Once the ship was at Gravesend, Constable took the opportunity to take a walk on shore and visit Rochester and Chatham.  Whilst he was there he made a number of drawings of the ships, including a group which is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (see Graham Reynolds, The Early Paintings and Drawings of John Constable, 1996, nos.03-11-03.22).

On 18th April, whilst he was at Chatham, Constable hired a boat to see the great men of war which, as he reveals in a letter to his East Bergholt sketching companion, John Dunthorne, 'were there in great numbers' (see R.B.Beckett, ed., John Constable's Correspondence: Early Friends and Maria Bicknell, 1964, pp.34-35).  One of the most impressive sights must have been the H.M.S.Victory which Constable sketched in three positions, sold in these Rooms on 19th March 2003, lots 138 (£40,800), 139 (£216,160) & 140 (£95,200).

As well as the present work Bruce Ingram owned a number of other drawings by Constable of shipping on the Thames or Medway (see Graham Reynolds, The Early Paintings and Drawings of John Constable, 1996, nos.03.24 - 03.30).  Seven of these drawings were sold in his sale in these rooms on 17th February 1965, lots 588, 589, 590 (four) & 591