The Cornfield
Print
1833 (made), 1834 (published)
1833 (made), 1834 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Constable, who was interested in the 'chiaroscuro of nature', or the effects of light and shade, chose mezzotint as the print medium for reproducing his work and asked David Lucas to collaborate with him. In 1832 he and Lucas embarked on the production of five large mezzotints, of which The Cornfield is the second. The production of t his was first discussed in June 1832 but not completed until a year later. The corresponding oil painting in the National Gallery is one of Constable's most famous works.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | The Cornfield (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Mezzotint with white highlighting in chine collé paper inlaid into wove paper |
| Brief description | Mezzotint by David Lucas after Constable's 'The Cornfield', London, 1833; published by F.G. Moon in 1834. |
| Physical description | Depicts a landscape framed on both side by trees, leading to a cornfield beyond which is being harvested and in the background, a church. In the foreground on the left a boy is drinking from a stream and there is a sheep dog and flock of sheep on a farm track. A sheep and cow are feeding from a bush at the side of the track. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Proof |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | From Acquisition file, note by Susan Lambert: The oil painting (exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1826) on which this mezzotint is based is in the National Gallery. Lucas engraved it as his own risk. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Constable, who was interested in the 'chiaroscuro of nature', or the effects of light and shade, chose mezzotint as the print medium for reproducing his work and asked David Lucas to collaborate with him. In 1832 he and Lucas embarked on the production of five large mezzotints, of which The Cornfield is the second. The production of t his was first discussed in June 1832 but not completed until a year later. The corresponding oil painting in the National Gallery is one of Constable's most famous works. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.776-1991 |
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| Record created | March 2, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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