(Constable, John)

Various Subjects of Landscape, Characteristic of English Scenery ... from Pictures Painted by John Constable, R.A. London: Published by Mr. Constable ... Sold Colnaghi, Dominic Colnaghi and Co., 1833



Oblong folio (10 3/4 x 16 in.; 273 x 410 mm). 22 mezzotints by David Lucas after paintings by Constable, printed on india paper; some foxing and splotching to card stock, particularly pronounced and affecting the plates for Weymouth Bay, Hadleigh Castle, and Hampstead Heath. Half green morocco over marbled boards, elaborate gilt-stamped label on upper cover, spine gilt, marbled endpapers and edges; extremities rubbed, boards a little scuffed, hinges reinforced.

Samuel Rogers (gift inscription from Constable) — Henry Brodhurst (engraved bookplate) — Claudius Edmund Delbos Tonnancour (bookplate)

Oblong folio (10 3/4 x 16 in.; 273 x 410 mm). 22 mezzotints by David Lucas after paintings by Constable, printed on India paper; some foxing and splotching to card stock, particularly pronounced and affecting the plates for Weymouth Bay, Hadleigh Castle, and Hampstead Heath; Half green morocco over marbled boards, elaborate gilt-stamped label on upper cover, spine gilt, marbled endpapers and edges; extremities rubbed, boards a little scuffed, hinges reinforced.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Presentation copy, with a slip in Constable's hand addressed to the poet Samuel Rogers "with Mr. Constable's compliments," affixed to the front pastedown. Samuel Rogers was, during his lifetime, one of the most celebrated poets, although his fame has since been eclipsed by the now famous circle of Romantic poets. In the late 1820s Constable became interested in publishing prints of his paintings, which had been critically acclaimed but were less commercially popular. He hoped to change this by issuing printed reproductions destined for a wider audience. Although advised to use lithography, he felt that mezzotint could be better adapted to simulate his painterly effects. He found an unknown but talented mezzotint engraver, David Lucas, and in 1829 they began work on a series of mezzotints, which would be issued as Various Subjects of Landscape, Characteristic of English Scenery. Despite the publication of two separate editions the work was not a commercial success for Constable, mainly because his approach to nature was not appreciated until many years later. Yet in technical terms the mezzotints are a resounding success, and capture many of Constable's atmospheric effects and painterly techniques.