Design for an illustration to Gray's 'Elegy', Stanza III.
Drawing
ca. 1833 (painted)
ca. 1833 (painted)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This design is for an illustration of the following lines of poetry: 'Save from that yonder ivy-mantled tower/ The moping owl doth to the moon complain'. They are from 'Elegy in a country churchyard' (1750) by Thomas Gray (1716-1771). The poem celebrates the contemplative and philosophical aspects of the night. It remained popular throughout the 19th century, when the celebrated artist John Constable drew this design.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Design for an illustration to Gray's 'Elegy', Stanza III. (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | Charcoal and grey wash on laid paper |
| Brief description | Watercolour by John Constable, 'Design for ill. to Gray's 'Elegy' |
| Physical description | Charcoal and grey wash on laid paper, design for an illustration to Gray's 'Elegy', Stanza III. Image shows a moonlit ivy covered tower. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | Probably Britannia in a cartouche (truncated watermark) |
| Credit line | Given by Isabel Constable |
| Historical context | 'In 1833 Constable exhibited four oil paintings and three drawings at the Royal Academy: the former included 'Englefield House, Berkshire ... morning' (see Nos. 340-344 [345-1888, 255-1888, 1258-1888, 1258a-1888, 1258b-1888]) and 'Cottage in a Cornfield' (No. 352 [1631-1888]). He gave his first lecture in Hampstead this year. ' [G Reynolds, 1973, p. 210] |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Literary reference | 'Elegy in a country churchyard', Stanza III, by Thomas Gray. |
| Summary | This design is for an illustration of the following lines of poetry: 'Save from that yonder ivy-mantled tower/ The moping owl doth to the moon complain'. They are from 'Elegy in a country churchyard' (1750) by Thomas Gray (1716-1771). The poem celebrates the contemplative and philosophical aspects of the night. It remained popular throughout the 19th century, when the celebrated artist John Constable drew this design. |
| Bibliographic reference | Catalogue of the Constable Collection, Graham Reynolds, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: HMSO, 1973, pp. 210, 214, 215 |
| Other number | 355, plate 258 - Reynolds catalogue no. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 813-1888 |
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| Record created | June 27, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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