John Constable

by Anthony Bailey

  1825–31 further illness and depression 159; worries about Maria and the children 164–5; and Beaumont’s visit 166; accepts Stothard’s alterations 166; quarrels with French dealer 167; with Maria in Brighton 168–9; awarded another gold medal 169; and Abram’s illness 172; and his children 173; takes Maria to Hampstead 173–4; back in Brighton 174–5; and birth of sixth child 175; finds permanent Hampstead home 175–6; concerned about Blake’s widow 177–8; friendship with Jack Bannister 178; takes oldest children to Flatford Mill 178–80; and birth of last child 181; very worried about Maria 181, 182; lobbies Academy members 181–2; and Maria’s inheritance from her father 182–3; and Johnny Dunthorne’s departure 183, 204–6; disheartened by 1828 exhibition 183–4; and Maria’s death 185–7, 188–90; finally elected as Academician 191–2; social engagements 194–5; takes oldest children to the Fishers’ 195–7; buys back two paintings from Fisher 198; and Lawrence’s death 199; and his children 200–3; and their schooling 203–4; enters their names in family Bible (1831) 206; attends Academy meetings and assemblies 206–7; joins Arrangement Committee 207; and mix-up over Water Meadows at Salisbury 207–9; presents Reynolds’s palette to the Academy 209; begins work on English Landscape (q.v.) 210, see also Lucas, David; sketched by Maclise (c. 1831) 220, 221; ill health 220, 222; as Visitor at Life School 220, 221–2; hanging arrangements annoy Turner 223–4; takes girls to Dedham 225; writes obituary for farmworker 225–6; gives celebratory dinner 226; at coronation of William IV 226–7; further illness and depression 227, 228–9; and support from the Leslies 229–30

  1832–37 and after works himself back into painting routine 230; exhibits Whitehall Stairs 230–32; and Johnny Dunthorne’s illness and death 232–3, 235–6; takes boys to lecture on volcanoes 238; and John Fisher’s death 233–4; borrows a Ruysdael from Peel 234–5; and Reinagle’s unsuccessful sale 235; further anxieties about the children and their education 238–40, 241–2; takes pleasure in his children 240–41; in Folkestone with John Charles 241, 242; drawings and paintings 242, 242; Englefield House commission 237, 242–3, 244–6; finds Wells an irritant 243, 244; has time for happier jobs 246; upset by painting going for next to nothing at auction 246–7; and deaths of friends 247, 249–50; and departure of Leslie to America 247–9; and Wilkie 250–51, Linnell 251–2, Lane 252–3, and George Constable 253; concern with the needy 253–4; rheumatic fever 255–6; at Lord Egremont’s 257–60; sketches House of Parliament fire 260–61; further depression 261; altercation with Lucas 261–2; supports him in Academy election 264; lectures on art 217, 265–73, 293; his mezzotints of The Lock and The Cornfield criticised 274–5; sells The Valley Farm 276-7; and Landseer’s cat 277; cannot stop working on paintings 277–8; and Charley’s departure to sea 280–82; becomes owner of Bergholt land 284–5; friendship with Leslie (q.v.) 286–7, and Rogers 287–8; pestered by ‘sparrows’ 288; his entries for final exhibition at Somerset House 288–92; at farewell dinner 292; as Visitor of Life School 293, 298–9; 60th birthday 293; sends pictures to Worcester exhibition 293; and Charley’s return from first voyage 293–4; socialises with Leslie and Wilkie 294–5, 296; last days 299–301; death 301–2, 303; death masks 302, 303; funeral 303–4; assets 306–7; sale of works 307, 308; posthumous reputation 314–17, 318–19

  personal traits etc: appearance 20, 40, 44; and children 101, 200, 201, 203, 240; depression 66, 137, 159, 180, 261; friendships 111, see Dunthorne, John and John, the Younger, Farington, Joseph, Fisher, John, Leslie, Charles R.; generosity/a giver 103, 140, 165–6, 177–8, 179, 253–4, 300; good with birds 156; and grief 75–6, 188, 189; melancholy 24, 27, 54, 112; moodiness 21; obsessional concentration 40, 92; and other artists 111–12, see also Collins, William, Turner, J.M.W.; and political issues 114–15, 223, 226, 227–8, 274; prickliness 111; reaction to compliments 112; and religion 28–9, 68; sarcasm 111; spelling 60, 203; see also Leslie, Charles: Memoirs…

  Constable, John Charles (son): birth and christening 101; childhood 103, 108, 117, 119, 120, 125, 153, 154, 159; illness 137; with his father 178–80, 195, 196, 197, 200, 201, 202, 238, 240; with Mrs Roberts in Brighton 202; tutored by Boner 203–4; worried by sister’s illness 206; portrait 238; sleepwalks 238; scientific interests 239, 240, 241, 257, 267; joins brother in Folkestone school 240; sleepwalks again and injures leg 241; has rheumatic fever 255; stays with George Constable 257, 282; in France 283; studies and helps father 283; in Flatford 284, 293; works for Cambridge entrance 283, 299; and Constable’s death 301, 303–4; and his father’s pictures 306, 307, 308, 316; transfers colleges to be with friend 307; and sister’s death 310; death 310

  Constable, Lionel Bicknell (son) 180–81, 200, 203, 239, 241, 283, 293, 311–12, 317

  Constable, Maria (née Bicknell; wife) xvii; first seen by Constable as a child 26, 26–7, 46; Constable falls in love with 47–8, 49–50; and death of brother 51; in Worcestershire with half-sister 51, 52; and Constable’s courtship 54–5, 55–9, 60, 61, 62–3, 64, 67–8, 69; ill health 68; and Constable’s unintended slight to her father 70; further meetings with Constable 71, 74, 77; cross at his propensity to avoid notice 73; and death of her dog 81; exasperated by Constable’s painting 82; regards John Dunthorne as unfit friend for Constable 83; further illness 84; and Constable’s determination to marry as soon as possible 84, 87; given new dog by him 87; wedding 88–91; portrait (1816) 90; on honeymoon with Fishers 92–4; married life 94; miscarriage and first pregnancy 95; with father and sister in Putney 96; with Constable in East Bergholt 98; birth of first child 101; inherits from grandfather 105, 108; birth of second child 108; moves to Hampstead 108–9; accompanies Constable to thank Farington for help in election 111; with Constable at the Fishers’ 117; back in Hampstead 119; birth of third child 120; and death of brother 121; left with new baby by Constable 121, 123; ‘placid and contented’ in Hampstead 125; moves into Charlotte Street house 133; back in Hampstead 134; birth of fourth child 136; ‘extremely delicate’ and needing care 137–8; and Constable’s visit to Sir George Beaumont 142, 144; health deteriorates 145–6; in Brighton 152, 153, 154–5, 158; returns to London 159; birth of fifth child 162–3; does not recover in Hampstead 164; with Constable in Brighton 168; amused by Poussin’s letters 169; with her sister and daughter in Putney 173; birth of sixth child 173, 174, 175; ‘extream weakness’ 175, 180; birth of seventh child 180–81; inherits from her father 182; portrait 186; last months and death 185–8;

  Constable, Maria Louisa (‘Minna’; daughter): birth and christening 108, 115; childhood 117, 119, 125, 153, 157, 159, 164, 173; with father at Flatford 178–9; and mother’s death 185, 197; with father in Salisbury 195, 196, 197; illness 200; schooling 200; with ‘her foolish aunt’ 202, 228, 284, 293; tries to fill mother’s role 202–3, 282; further illness 206, 232; with father at Dedham 225; missed by Constable at Christmas 228; and Constable’s pictures 310–11, 313, 316; friction with brother 311; death 317

  Constable, Martha (sister) see Whalley, Martha

  Constable, Mary (sister): birth 5; character 6; and Constable 5, 21, 57, 70; and his marriage and Dr Rhudde 94, 95; joins Abram in Flatford Mill house 104; portrait 105; sends presents to Constable 136, 169; and life in East Bergholt 151, 152, 172; and visits from Constable and his children 178, 225, 236; offers to distribute Constable’s ‘winter comforts’ to villagers 254; suggests cure for rheumatic fever 256; buys land 284, 285; has Alfred to stay 311

  Constable, Minna see Constable, Maria Louisa

  Constable, Sidey (cousin) 32, 246, 254, 279

  Cook, Captain James 32

  Cook, Richard 124, 134, 201

  Cookson, Christopher 216

  Cooper, Abraham 100, 207–8

  Cornfield, The (1826) 170–72, 173, 180, 193, 306, 314, 317; mezzotints 217, 261, 274, 275

  Cotman, John Sell 307

  Cottage, A (1823) 139

  Cottage in a Cornfield (1817) 97

  Cottage in a Cornfield, A (1833) 246, 317

  Country Road, A (1794) 13

  Cousins, Samuel 264


  Coutts (ship) 32–3, 192, 259, 281, 309

  Cowper, William 301

  Coxe, Peter 140, 152

  Cozens, Alexander 12, 36, 143, 176, 269

  Cozens, John Robert 272

  Cranch, John 14–15, 18–19

  Crotch, Dr William 36–7, 42

  Daguerre, Louis 150

  Dale, Lucy 134

  Danby, Francis 191

  Daniell, Thomas 124

  Daniell, William 124, 134

  Darby, Francis 163, 164, 316

  Darwin, Charles 240

  David, Jacques-Louis 269

  Davis, Dr 213, 220

  Dawe, George: Eliza O’Neill 77

  Dedham 2; church 2, 100, 136n, 162, 320; Duke of Marlborough 2, 183; Grammar School 3, 4, 8; watermill 6, 8, 9

  Dedham Lock and Mill (1817) 97

  Dedham Lock and Mill (1818) 101–2, 102

  Dedham Mill and Church (1821) 119

  Dedham Vale (1802) 13, 30, 182

  Dedham Vale (1828) 182, 184, 250

  Dedham Vale (1836 engraving) 293

  Dedham Vale: Morning (1811) 52

  Delacroix, Eugène 117, 150, 159, 164, 181, 314, 318

  Massacre at Scio 159

  Dell Scene (1830) 207

  Desborough, Ettie xv

  De Wint, Peter 215

  Dickens, Charles 109, 146, 230, 249

  Didot, Firmin 164

  Dog Watching a Watervole, A (1831) 225, 225

  Dover, Agar Ellis, Lord 218–19

  Drew, Mr (apothecary) 144, 155, 220, 240

  Driffield, Reverend Walter W. 2, 71, 88, 99, 136n, 192

  Dubois, Edward 112, 194, 223, 224, 232, 246, 247, 277, 290

  Dughet, Gaspar 24, 33

  Dunthorne, Hannah (née Bird) 10, 75

  Dunthorne, Hannah (daughter) 10, 183

  Dunthorne, John: painting expeditions with Constable 10–11, 13, 17, 24, 26, 169; unwell and missing Constable 24–5; impecunious 47; inscribes plaque for Constable drawing 51; marriage 10, 75; thriving 60; regarded as unfit companion for Constable 83, 121; gains respect 152; thrilled at Constables receiving Bicknell bequest 183; pleased at Constable’s election 192; and his son’s death 236; sent mezzotints by Constable 274; death 236; Constable’s letters to xvi, 18, 22–3, 24, 27, 28, 29–30, 32, 33, 68

  Dunthorne, John, the younger (Johnny) 10; as his father’s greatest gift to Constable 60, 68–9; provides Constable with sketches of wagon for The Hay Wain 121, 151; becomes Constable’s apprentice and companion 151–2, 153, 154, 159, 160, 163, 166, 167, 168; success as artist and restorer 152, 178, 183, 204–6; paints portrait of Abram Constable’s dog 198; taken to British Institution party by Constable 206; keeps Constable’s sister informed about his health 229; illness and death 232–3, 235–6

  A Country Lane 152

  A Glade in a Wood (1827) 177

  Self-portrait 205

  Dunthorne, Thomas 206

  Dysart, Countess of 60, 70

  Dysart, Lady Louisa Manners, Countess of 25; sits to Constable 67; a good patron to him 85, 119, 140; employs Golding Constable as warden 147, 180; makes gifts of venison to Constable 147, 178, 226, 296; relations with Constable 202, 246, 253, 258

  Dysart, William Tollemache, 6th Earl of 25, 42, 43, 59, 70, 147

  Eagles, Reverend John 117, 277, 305–6

  East Bergholt, Suffolk 3, 11, 19–20, 31, 44, 47, 52–3, 71, 78–9, 107–8, 319–20; Church 44, 236, 319; Constable windmill 2, 8, 80; fair (1815) 79; enclosure of common 82; Fen Lane 1, 99–100, 170; Moss Cottage 20, 319; Old Hall Park 99

  East Bergholt, Suffolk (print) 216, 263

  East Bergholt Church (1810) 44–5

  East Bergholt Church (1817) 97

  East Bergholt House 3, 4–5, 6–7, 20, 47, 79–80; sale of 86, 103, 104

  East Bergholt House (mezzotint) 118

  East India Company 280

  Eastlake, Charles 112, 191, 226

  Edge of a Wood, The (1802) 29

  Egremont, George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of 229, 257–9, 260

  Elizabeth House, Hampstead (Miss Noble’s school) 200, 203, 206, 282, 299

  Elm trees in Old Hall Park, East Bergholt (1817) 99

  Englefield House (1833) 237, 242, 243, 244–6, 252

  English Landscape (book of mezzotints) 130, 210–19, 220, 221, 227, 233, 239, 241, 246, 252, 253, 261, 262–3, 265, 307, 313

  Esk House (1806) 39

  Etty, William 182, 184, 222, 228, 292, 298, 299

  Evans, Dr Herbert 187, 189, 195, 206, 238, 255, 303, 306, 310

  Everard, Mrs (East Bergholt widow) 51, 59

  Examiner, The 45, 59, 65, 76, 85, 106, 116, 122, 135, 171

  Faraday, Michael 267, 268, 306

  Farington, Joseph: Constable introduced to 17; and Constable’s admission as Academy Probationer 18; on Reinagle’s sisters 21; lends Constable Wilson picture to copy 23; as Constable’s confidant 24, 34, 53, 62, 87, 95, 100–1, 102, 250; meets Constable in Dovedale 28; advises him against accepting post as drawing master 29, and to study nature 30; thinks Dedham Vale ‘rather too cold’ 30; goes abroad 31; dreams of French invasion 33; and civil war in the Academy 34; hears from Constable of Watts/West contretemps 37, and of Wordsworth 39, 40; and Constable’s election as Associate member 40, 42, 45, 71, 91, 110, 111; critical of Watts 42; advises Constable on his landscapes 44, 135; encourages him 52; present at erection of Reynolds memorial 290; lives opposite Constable 55, 64; approves of Boys Fishing 66; advises Constable on new house 96; invites Constable to dinner 101; gives advice on The White Horse 106; at King’s birthday dinner 117; and The Hay Wain 119, 120, 121; death 124; his house occupied by Constable 133, 165

  Farmhouse near the water’s edge (c. 1834) 289

  Farmyard by a Navigable River in Suffolk – Summer Morning (1836) 293

  Farnham, Harriet 83

  Fen Lane, East Bergholt (1817, unfinished) 99–100

  Fisher, Dorothea 103, 119, 136

  Fisher, Elizabeth see Mirehouse, Elizabeth

  Fisher, Emma 141, 200

  Fisher, Frank 141, 197

  Fisher, Dr John, Bishop of Salisbury: takes interest in Constable’s career 19, 29, 234; portraits painted by Constable 54, 59, 60 (1811–12), 103 (1818); at Reynolds exhibition 66; continues to support Constable 68; conducts son’s wedding 87; has the Constables to stay 92; and death of George III 114; commissions Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Grounds 119, 128, 136, and a sunnier Salisbury Cathedral 134, 139, 141; death 164

  Fisher, Reverend (later Archdeacon) John: friendship with Constable 4, 54, 65, 68, 111, 247, 296; gives advice on his paintings 65; marriage 87; marries Constable and Maria 88, 89, 91; invites them to honeymoon in Osmington 92–4; names Constable’s new home 96; portrait (1817) 97, 97; appointed Archdeacon of Berkshire 107; buys Constable’s White Horse 107; as godfather to Constable’s first daughter 108; congratulates Constable on his election 110; translates Latin epigraph for him 216; buys Stratford Mill for Tinney 116; has Constable and family to stay in Salisbury 117–18; reminds him to paint eclipse 118–19; encourages him to work on ‘Waterloo Bridge’ 119; and two sudden deaths 119; recommends that Constable read White’s Selborne 119–20; on the atmosphere at the Exhibition 121–2; lends Constable money 123; takes him sketching 123; invites him to Salisbury 124; asks Constable to find him a boat 125; consoles him on his failure to be elected 134; cannot afford The Hay Wain 135, 140, 150; moves back to Osmington 137; perceptive about Constable 140; and Constable’s visit 141, 142; visits Fonthill with him 141–2; hopes to buy a Constable picture 148; and Constable’s success in France 153, 159; suggests he vary his subject matter 161; lends his Constable paintings to Lille museum 164; urges Constable to rid himself of anxiety 165; and Constable’s dispute with Arrowsmith 167–8; busy with ecclesiastical duties 174; suggests Constable write down his thoughts 174, 265; wants to write Constable’s biography 174, 312; lends him money again 176; praises Chain Pier, Brighton 177; feels Constable will cope with his bereavement 188, 189; pleased at Constable�
�s election as Academician 190, 191, 196; advises him not to work so hard 195; with Constable and his children in Salisbury 195–7, 223; praises Minna 197; money problems and asks Constable to buy back pictures 198; a Siberian winter in Osmington 199; does not want daughter to read ‘morbid’ stories 200; tells Constable of flogging at Eton 203; hears of Johnny Dunthorne’s skills as a restorer 205; recommends Constable makes lithographs of his pictures 211; and Constable’s dedication of English Landscape 218; and political climate 228; his sudden death and its effect on Constable 233–4; Constable’s letters to 111, 116, 117, 120, 126–7, 130–31, 133, 134, 135, 137, 139–40, 149, 151, 157, 158, 159–60, 161, 162, 163, 164, 167, 168, 169, 170, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 181, 183, 188, 193, 205, 207, 209, 210, 234, 242, 258, 312

  Fisher, Mary 92, 93, 117, 141, 142, 197, 199; portrait (1816) 93, 97; Constable to 234

  Fisher, Osmond 141, 197, 203, 307, 310

  Fisher, William (‘Belim’) 141

  Fisk, W.H. 288

  Fitzhugh, Philadelphia (née Godfrey) 72–3, 76

  Fitzhugh, Thomas 72, 73

  Flatford, Suffolk 109–10; dry dock 73; watermill 6, 8, 9; see also East Bergholt House

  Flatford Mill (1816–17) 89

  Flatford Mill from the Lock (1812) 59

  Flatford Mill House 104

  Flaxman, John 22, 181

  Fletcher, Sarah (née Bicknell) see Skey, Sarah

  Folkestone (1833) 242, 242