Drawing, A country road with elm trees, by John Constable, pencil, pen and bistre wash, ca.1830-6

A pencil, pen and bistre wash drawing of a country road winding toward a group of elm trees. Houses are visible in the distance, upper left.

Given by Isabel Constable, daughter of the artist

This may be one of the last drawings Constable completed. Reynolds groups with with 248-1888 and 816-1888 as representative examples of the last phase of Constable's draughtsmanship.

'In 1836 Constable's two exhibits at the Royal Academy were the 'Cenotaph to the memory of Sir Joshua Reynolds' (now in the Tate Gallery, No. 1272) and the watercolour 'Stonehenge' (No. 395 [1629-1888]). He gave four lectures on 'The History of Landscape Painting' at the Royal Institution in May and June of this year and his last lecture, at Hampstead, on 25 July. Constable died on 31 March 1837. His almost completed painting 'Arundel Mill and Castle' (now in the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio; see No. 379 [260-1888]) was exhibited posthumously at the Royal Academy.'

[G Reynolds, 1973, p. 233]

This drawing, along with Reynolds cat. nos. 412 and 413, are grouped together as examples of the last phase of Constable's draughtsmanship due to their resemblance to other late drawings of known date.

Constable's late wash drawings are notable for their free handling and almost expressionistic quality. This view of a country road is relatively restrained and more highly finished than some of its cousins. However, the rather menacing group of elm trees that blocks the horizon is characteristic of the dark mood common to his last drawings.

603-1888