Page 21 - constable.pages copy

Charlotte Mason Picture Study Aid John Constable

Resources

I found a wealth of information about Constable in terms of books for research purposes. In particular, these four

were helpful:
• Memoirs of the Life of John Constable by C.R. Leslie - This gives some insight into the life and mind of the artist

through letters he wrote to various people as well as some background information from the compiler. I found it
to be very interesting to see what he said about each piece and what he had to go through to get some of them

done. It does contain a section in the back with black and white copies of his pieces, but this would not be a
good book for specifically viewing his paintings.

• John Constable: A Kingdom of his Own by Anthony Bailey - This is more of biography and also contains some small
pictures, but this is also more for gaining information on the artist.

• John Constable: The Making of a Master by Mark Evans - This has beautiful prints of his paintings as well as
background information.

• Constable by Jonathan Clarkson - Another book with beautiful prints and background information.

Sadly, I was unable to find a single children's book (other than a coloring book which I don't recommend) about

Constable. However, in Discovering Great Artists by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Kim Solga, which offers art projects
inspired by well-known artists, there is a section on Constable specifically about painting skies. This is fitting, as

Constable wrote to his friend, Archdeacon John Fisher, in a letter from October 23, 1821:

I have done a good deal of skying, for I am determined to conquer all difficulties, and that among the
rest.... That landscape painter who does not make his skies a very material part of his composition,
neglects to avail himself of one of his greatest aids. Sir Joshua Reynolds, speaking of the landscapes of
Titian, of Salvator, and of Claude, says: 'Even their skies seem to sympathise with their subjects.' I have
often been advised to consider my sky as 'a white sheet thrown behind the objects'. Certainly, if the sky is
obtrusive, as mine are, it is bad; but if it is evaded, as mine are not, it is worse; it must and always shall
with me make an effectual part of the composition. It will be difficult to name a class of landscape in
which the sky is not the key note, the standard of scale, and the chief organ of sentiment. You may
conceive, then, what a 'white sheet' would do for me, impressed as I am with these notions, and they
cannot be erroneous. The sky is the source of light in nature, and governs everything; even our common
observations on the weather of every day are altogether suggested by it. The difficulty of skies in
painting is very great, both as to composition and execution; because, with all their brilliancy, they
ought not to come forward, or, indeed, be hardly thought of any more than extreme distances are; but
this does not apply to phenomena or accidental effects of sky, because they always attract particularly. I
may say all this to you, though you do not want to be told that I know very well what I am about, and

ahumbleplace.com ❦ Page of 21 24