Study of sky and trees, with a red house, at Hampstead thumbnail 1
Study of sky and trees, with a red house, at Hampstead thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Imagine Gallery, Adventure, West wall

Study of sky and trees, with a red house, at Hampstead

Oil Sketch
12 September 1821 (made)
Artist/Maker
Constable, John (RA) (artist)
Place of origin
England (made)

Study of a blue sky with white clouds, trees, and the edge of a red house.


Object details

Category
Paintings
Object type
Oil sketch
TitleStudy of sky and trees, with a red house, at Hampstead (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Oil on paper
Oil Paint
Paper
Oil Painting
Brief description
Oil sketch, 'Study of sky and trees, with a red house, at Hampstead' by Constable.
Physical description
Study of a blue sky with white clouds, trees, and the edge of a red house.
Dimensions
  • Estimate height: 24.1cm
  • Estimate width: 29.8cm
  • Frame height: 50cm
  • Frame width: 54.5cm
Dimensions taken from Catalogue of the Constable Collection, Graham Reynolds, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: HMSO, 1973
Style
British School
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Sepr. 12. 1821. Noon. Wind fresh at West ... [3 or 4 words are erased here] Sun very Hot. looking southward exceedingly bright vivid & Glowing, very heavy showers in the Afternoon but a fine evening. High wind in the night.' (Inscribed on the back by the artist)
  • 'Sepr. 10 1821 Eleven o'clock Sultry with a warm gentle rain falling large heavy clouds... [a word here is illegible] a heavy downpour and thunder' (Above the prevous inscription, also in ink by the artist, but deleted)
  • 'M.L.' (Also inscribed on the left in ink)
    Translation
    Maria Louise Constable.
Gallery label
Looking at the big sky John Constable made this painting outside on a scorching hot day. The leafy, green garden looks like a perfect spot for playing or picnicking – but who might live in the house? [Young V&A, Imagine Gallery short object label](2023)
Credit line
Given by Isabel Constable
Object history
Given by Isabel Constable, 1888
Historical context
The chief of Constable's four exhibits in 1821 was 'Landscape: Noon' ('The Hay Wain') (National Gallery No. 1207; for the full-scale sketch see No. 209 [987-1900] in this Catalogue). His third child, Charles Golding Constable, was born on 29 March. He accompanied Archdeacon John Fisher on his visitation of Berkshire in June, took No. 2 Lower Terrace, Hampstead, for his family during the summer and autumn and paid a visit to Fisher at Salisbury in November.

[G Reynolds, 1973, p. 135]
Subjects depicted
Trees
Clouds
Place depicted
Hampstead
Bibliographic reference
Catalogue of the Constable Collection, Graham Reynolds, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: HMSO, 1973, pp. 135, 141, 146, 147
Other number
222, plate 167
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
156-1888

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Record createdJuly 20, 2006
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O126211/study-of-sky-and-trees-oil-sketch-constable-john-ra/
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