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Study pack and teacher notes

Constable in Context: Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows in perspective

September 2016 until March 2017

The Salisbury Museum The King’s House 65 The Close Salisbury SP1 2EN 01722 332151 The Salisbury Museum is an independent charity 289850

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831 John Constable (1776-1837) © Tate, London 2013 Purchased with assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Manton Foundation, Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation) and Tate Members

The Salisbury Museum The King’s House 65 The Close Salisbury SP1 2EN 01722 332151 The Salisbury Museum is an independent charity 289850

Constable in Context: Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows in perspective Introduction to the exhibition: Today, John Constable (1776-1837) is recognised as being one of the most important of all British artists, someone who changed landscape painting but perhaps more importantly, how we all look at the English countryside. Constable produced more paintings and drawings of Salisbury than of any other area, apart from the Stour Valley, where he grew up. The Salisbury Cathedral in particular, has been a frequent subject of sketches, paintings and drawings by artists before, during and after Constable’s time. This exhibition shows how Salisbury Cathedral has been depicted in art for over 300 years. It charts a shift from the detailed architectural studies of the building in the 17th century to the landscape views of the 21st century. What is revealed is the enormous impact that Constable’s painting had on depicting the Cathedral and the water meadows, inspiring artists all over the world. This study pack details four important compositions from the exhibition by different artists using talking points designed around Rod Taylor’s “Content, form, process, mood” model. The pack also suggests various activities to do in conjunction with the respective works.

Workshops for schools We are offering interesting and exciting hands-on workshops in conjunction with this exhibition. They are useful for most levels (year 5/6, Key stage 3, GCSE/A level). Workshop topics, inspired by Constable include:

Studying methods of composition

Inspiration from artists and your locality

Aerial perspective

Colour mixing theory and practice

Creating depth in a painting When you book a workshop you will have full access to Constable in Context: Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows in perspective, including an opportunity to draw whilst in the exhibition. Sessions also include a PowerPoint with explanations of the area of study, demonstrations from a professional artist, a chance to produce sketches or small paintings to be developed later on at home or at school, and inspiration that will last long after your visit. Workshops can be booked throughout the exhibition (subject to availability of facilities), as well as all week from Monday 31st October - Friday 4th November 2016 and Monday 23rd January - Friday 27th January 2017.

Aspire In 2013 Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831 was secured for the British public through the Heritage Lottery Fund, Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation), The Manton Foundation and Tate Members. The acquisition was part of a ground-breaking new partnership, Aspire, between five national and regional galleries: Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales The National Galleries of Scotland Colchester and Ipswich Museums The Salisbury Museum Tate Britain Aspire is a partnership programme enabling audiences of all ages to enjoy and learn more about the work of John Constable by touring Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831 across the UK. Aspire is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Art Fund. Each partner will display the work in the context of their collection, accompanied by an inspiring programme of activities enabling audiences of all ages to enjoy and learn more about the work of John Constable.

Additional useful Links: Tate Online Learning Resource ‘In depth: Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831’: www.tate.org.uk/aspire Audio Description of Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831: http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/audio/audio-description-constables-salisbury-cathedral-meadows-1831 Aspire: National Network for Constable Studies: http://www.tate.org.uk/about/our-work/national-partnerships/collaborative-projects/aspire

John Constable Background John Constable was born in Suffolk in 1776. His first short visit to Salisbury was in 1811, where he stayed with Bishop Fisher and his family. It was here that he would meet the Bishop’s nephew, Archdeacon John Fisher, with whom he would strike up many years of friendship. Constable visited the city a total of seven times over a period of 18 years. His visits to this area, and his friendship with the Fishers, were of great significance to him. In 1816, Constable married his long term love Maria Bicknell. The couple would go on to have seven children together. In November 1828, the same year as their seventh child was born, Maria died of tuberculosis. His wife’s death had a huge effect on Constable. Indeed, his later works after Maria’s passing, including Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831, had more of an unsettled nature about them, which has often been attributed to Constable’s mourning and altered perspective on life. After Maria’s death, Constable found solace in his friendship with the Fishers. He visited them in Salisbury in 1829, where he worked on his sketch for what would be Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows. The completed oil painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1831, and was the last of the sequence of monumental (‘six-footer’) canvases which had begun in 1819 with The White Horse. Archdeacon Fisher died the following year and Constable never returned to Salisbury. However the artist continued to exhibit his work up until his death in April 1837. Technique Constable’s mark-making technique was considered somewhat revolutionary; using a palette knife and brushes to create textured and expressive surfaces. At a time when paintings were expected to have smooth surfaces, Constable’s work often drew heavy criticism from contemporaries. Legacy

Constable’s compositions inspired many artists from the 19th century to the present day. The mezzotints by David Lucas were greatly influential in popularising Constable’s work during the 19th and early 20th century. Constable’s emotional landscapes, alongside contemporaries such as J M W Turner, aided in altering the status of landscape painting, which at the time had been considered a lowly subject matter. Constable’s frequent use of Salisbury as a subject for his work furthermore encouraged many artists to produce views of the Cathedral, the city, and the surrounding area. Many of the works inspired by Constable and David Lucas are shown in the final room of the exhibition. Constable played a large part in shaping what we now consider to be quintessential English countryside. Much of the landscape depicted in Constable’s views of Salisbury remains untouched, partially due to the influence of his work, and those that followed.

North-West View of the Salisbury Cathedral and Bell Tower, 1671 Illustration for 'Monasticon Anglicanum' by William Dugdale, etching by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) Etching The Salisbury Museum

North-West View of the Salisbury Cathedral and Bell Tower, 1671 Illustration for 'Monasticon Anglicanum' by William Dugdale, etching by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) Etching The Salisbury Museum This is one of three etchings by Wenceslaus Hollar on display in the exhibition. They are some of the earliest known prints of the Cathedral. Present within this etching is the Cathedral’s medieval Bell Tower. The upper part of the tower was demolished in 1758 and the rest was subsequently pulled down by architect James Wyatt during his remodelling of the building between 1789 and 1792. Wyatt’s work to both the outside and interior of the Cathedral was controversial at the time, although the external appearance of the building has been altered very little since. Conversely, the architect’s changes to the interior, including the removal of many of the medieval features, the movement of monuments and building of a new screen, were not so longstanding. Wenceslaus Hollar was born in Prague in 1607 and came to England in 1637 to take up employment with the Earl of Arundel. He was well known for producing views of landscapes and buildings as well as portraits and still life in many different forms. Although Hollar was very talented, he was financially poor during his later life and died in debt.

This etching is full of detail, accurately depicting the architecture of the Cathedral. It serves to illustrate how the Cathedral looked during the mid to late 1600s. Figures can be seen in front of the Cathedral, providing a scale for the size of the building. This style of architectural documentation was common in the 17th and early 18th century, and can be seen mirrored in nearly all of the works within this room. One of the notable exceptions to this however, is the work of Flemish artist Hendrik de Cort. Talking points Content: Study the print. What do

you think are the most and least dominant features within it? Why do you think the artist chose to do this? Form: Look at the sky in this print and in other works in the room. What do you notice about them? Do they tell you much about the type of weather occurring when these drawing were made? Process: What skills must the artist

have required to produce this work? Mood: Does this etching make you feel anything when you study it? Remember your answer and compare it to how compositions in the next two rooms make you feel. Activities Pick one of your favourite buildings and draw a detailed section of it, focusing on its architecture. Consider why these types of drawings/paintings may be useful to us and why they were so popular in the 17th century.

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1831 John Constable (1776-1837) Oil paint on canvas 1518x1899 mm © Tate, London 2013

Purchased by Tate with assistance from the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Manton Foundation, Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation) and Tate Members in partnership with Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales, Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service, National Galleries of Scotland, and The Salisbury Museum 2013

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1831

John Constable (1776-1837) Oil paint on canvas 1518x1899 mm Tate Background

Painted in 1831, Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows is now considered one of Constable’s finest works. It was the last in a series of large canvases, ‘six-footers’, which he had been producing since 1819. When Constable started painting English landscapes on such a scale, he broke with Academy traditions. His work helped to raise the status of landscape painting to that previously reserved for the depiction subjects such as historical scenes. Landscape paintings until this time had been considered a less significant theme and were previously produced on much smaller canvases. Constable’s painting depicts the view across the countryside on the edge of the city. The lower half of the composition shows the water meadows; a rural scene of a wagon crossing the ford watched by a dog. The top half of the picture is dominated by the distant spire shown under stormy skies. The end of the rainbow touches the ground in Leadenhall, where Constable regularly stayed on visits with his friend Rev. John Fisher. This composition was contrived from many different sketches, which can be illustrated by the inclusion of the tower of St Thomas’s church, seen through the trees to the extreme left. This building would not have been visible from this viewpoint on the meadow.

The tones are much darker than in earlier paintings, this along with the ever present turbulent skies has often been associated with Constable’s emotional grief after the death of his wife Maria in 1828. Talking points Content: Compare differences between the sketch version and the finished work. What has changed? What has remained consistent in both versions? Do these choices reveal something more about Constable and the final work? Form: What kind of colour scheme has been used in the painting? Is it, for example, a harmonious one or one built up of contrasts? Process and Mood: Constable

influenced views of Salisbury Cathedral greatly. Why do you think his work was so significant? How is it different to depictions made by artists before him? For example, consider his expressive technique, use of subject and creation of mood. Activities Look for the small details in Constable and his contemporaries’ work. Why are they in the painting at all? Draw your version of small details from a few of the works and think about why they were included. For instance, St Thomas’ church is on the left of the painting, but it cannot be seen in real life from this view. So why has Constable included it here? What is he saying? Create a composite landscape. Either cut up magazine pictures, choosing trees, distant buildings and foreground activity. If you have a digital camera take your own pictures and paste together to create an ‘ideal’ English landscape.

Old Sarum, 1855 David Lucas after John Constable Mezzotint on paper The Salisbury Museum

Old Sarum, 1855 David Lucas after John Constable Mezzotint on paper The Salisbury Museum Background

This is the second plate produced by Lucas of Constable’s depiction of Old Sarum. It was published in 1855 for H G Bohn’s English Landscape Scenery. David Lucas was an engraver, who under the supervision of Constable, produced twenty-two mezzotints of Constable’s work. Constable wished to produce engravings of his compositions, as he was aware of its usefulness in further extending the influence of an artists’ work. Mezzotint engraving involves indenting the metal printing plate using a toothed metal tool. The printmaker can create dark and light tones by progressively rubbing down the rough surface to a certain smoothness, this reduces the ink-holding capacity of areas of the plate, thus creating lighter shades. Over half of this engraving is dominated by the uninterrupted sky. The lower half shows the wide valley and desolate-looking Old Sarum. Highlighted in the foreground of the scene is a lone shepherd at the end of his day, who herds his flock out of the edge of this picture. The threatening sky contributes to the dramatic feel of the work. When Constable’s original painting was exhibited, political connections were made to the Reform Act of 1832, during which Old Sarum had become infamous as a ‘rotten borough’. A 'borough' was a town that had the right to elect two members to the House of Commons.

Typically, rotten boroughs had secured representation in parliament when they had a large population, but over time had become deserted. Old Sarum for example, had thrived in the 12th century, but was later abandoned when Salisbury was refounded nearby. Therefore the two seats did not represent any communities or populations and served only to benefit the politician’s own wealth, power and purposes. Talking points Content: Is the subject matter here

surface deep or are there hidden meanings alluded to through the use of, for example symbol, analogy, metaphor? Form: How has the work been

arranged? Is it in keeping with its content? Process: There are three mezzotints

by David Lucas after Constable’s work in the exhibition. Consider why Constable and other contemporaries valued this engraving technique so highly. Mood: Does the work affect you in any way? Does it capture a mood, feeling or emotion which you have already experienced? Activities

Keep a visual diary, either with a small sketchbook or photographs, of weather patterns. Look at the same patch of sky or landscape at different times of day as well. How does the light change? Where are the shadows and highlights? Record these in your diary.

Salisbury from Old Sarum, Wiltshire c. 1827-1828 J M W Turner (1775-1851), published in the Picturesque Views of England and Wales Watercolour The Salisbury Museum

Salisbury from Old Sarum, Wiltshire, c. 1827 - 1828

J M W Turner (1775-1851), published in the Picturesque Views of England and Wales Watercolour The Salisbury Museum Background This watercolour was one of a series of 'Picturesque views in England and Wales' painted by Turner. A shepherd and his children are seen sheltering together as a storm approaches. Turner is considered by many to be Constable’s biggest rival. The two artists are often now described as the greatest landscape painters in history and were hugely influential in altering opinion on the importance of landscape compositions in their time. This view is derived from a pencil sketch Turner made in 1795 during his first visit to Salisbury. The viewpoint is from ‘Old Sarum Entrenchment’, as Turner noted, and it is clear that, like other artists before and since, he was making a visual link between modern Salisbury and its historic roots at the abandoned site to its north. Within the watercolour, the Cathedral is surrounded by light, presenting the church as a safe and protective place. This was a notion which was under fire during the 1820s, due to calls for reducing the restrictions on Catholics. Such warm, rural depictions of Cathedrals were common within many artists’ work during this time. When preparing his watercolours, Turner sometimes began by setting out the broad masses of his compositions in studies known as ‘colour beginnings’.

Critic John Ruskin wrote of the work: 'The rain-clouds... in this picture are wrought with a care I have never seen equalled in any other sky of the same kind. It is the rain of blessing –abundant but full of brightness; golden gleams are flying across the wet grass, and fall softly on the lines of willow in the valley...'. Talking points Content: Talk about the story of the people in this painting – what is happening in the scene? Imagine the daily lives of the people seen. Form: Does the painting have a

variety or unity of texture? Process: How was the work made and what was it made with? What materials, processes and techniques did the artist use? Mood: How does the painting make

you feel? Does it make you think about a type of emotion? Does the strong lighting have an impact on the overall effect of the work? Activities

Create an ‘adjective picture’, for example create a list (i.e energetic, lively, bold, frightened, shy, cold, remote, isolated, bright, vibrant…). Choose a powerful emotive word and use this word to inspire your own painting of Salisbury Cathedral. Both Constable and Turner made many drawings outdoors recording their observations in a sketch book. Try sketching outdoors – repeat the same subject matter from different angles – if you have time take your drawings as inspiration for a painting that you do later at home or school. See how this affects your artwork in comparison to drawing from a photo.

Works included in the Exhibition: North View of Salisbury Cathedral, 1672

Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) Etching

The Salisbury Museum North-West View of Salisbury Cathedral and Bell Tower, 1671

Illustration for 'Monasticon Anglicanum' by William Dugdale, etching by Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) Etching

The Salisbury Museum East View of the Salisbury Cathedral and Bell Tower, 1672 Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) Etching

The Salisbury Museum

Salisbury, Wiltshire, from the North-East, 18th century

by unknown artist Oil on canvas

The Salisbury Museum Interior of Salisbury Cathedral, looking towards the North Transept, c. 1801-5 J M W Turner (1775-1851) Watercolour

The Salisbury Museum Salisbury Cathedral, 1779

Thomas Hearne (1744–1817) Greywash and pencil Private collection, Wiltshire

Cathedral and Cloisters, early 19th century

Attributed to John Buckler (1770-1851) Pen and watercolour

The Salisbury Museum Salisbury from the North-East, 1734

Samuel and Nathaniel Buck Engraving

The Salisbury Museum

View from Fisherton, Salisbury, c. 1795

Hendrik de Cort (1742-1810) Watercolour

The Salisbury Museum

Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Garden, 1795

Hendrik de Cort (1742-1810) Watercolour The Salisbury Museum

Salisbury Cathedral from the East, c. 1795

Hendrik de Cort (1742-1810) Watercolour

The Salisbury Museum North Porch of Salisbury Cathedral, 1797

J M W Turner (1775-1851) Watercolour

The Salisbury Museum The South-West Prospect of Salisbury Cathedral, 1671

V Collins after Nicholas Yeates (worked 1669-1686) Engraving

The Salisbury Museum

St. Thomas's Church, 1795 Hendrik de Cort (1742-1810) Watercolour

The Salisbury Museum

Views of Salisbury Cathedral, c.1813

Frederick Nash (1782-1856) and Frederick Mackenzie (1787-1854) Watercolour The Salisbury Museum Interior Views of Salisbury Cathedral, c.1813

Frederick Nash (1782-1856) Watercolour The Salisbury Museum Monuments and Decorative Features in Salisbury Cathedral, c.1813

Frederick Nash (1782-1856) Watercolour The Salisbury Museum Tombstone Effigies in Salisbury Cathedral, c.1813

Frederick Nash (1782-1856) and Charles Alfred Stothard (1787-1821) Watercolour The Salisbury Museum St. Ann’s Gate, Salisbury, 1811 John Constable (1776-1837) Black and white chalk on buff paper

The Salisbury Museum Salisbury from Old Sarum, Wiltshire,

c.1827-28

J M W Turner (1775-1851), published in

the Picturesque Views in England and

Wales

Watercolour

The Salisbury Museum

South-West View of the City of

Salisbury, 1827

George Fennel Robson (1788-1833)

Watercolour

Loaned by J N Antrobus

South-West View of the City of Salisbury, 1827

George Fennel Robson (1788-1833) Watercolour The Salisbury Museum

Sketch for Salisbury Cathedral from the

Meadows, 1829-30

John Constable (1776-1837)

Oil on canvas

Tate: Bequeathed by Henry Vaughan

1900

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1831

John Constable (1776-1837) Oil paint on canvas Tate

1518 x1899 mm View from Pugin’s House near

Salisbury, 1835

David Charles Read (1790-1851)

Oil on millboard

Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. Presented

by Chambers Hall, 1855.

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows

‘The Rainbow’, 1854

David Lucas (1802-1881) after John

Constable

Mezzotint on paper

The Salisbury Museum

Salisbury Cathedral, 1855

David Lucas (1802-1881) after John

Constable

Mezzotint on paper

The Salisbury Museum

Old Sarum, 1855

David Lucas (1802-1881) after John

Constable

Mezzotint on paper

The Salisbury Museum

West Front of Salisbury Cathedral, c.1920

Albert Goodwin (1845-1932) Watercolour

The Salisbury Museum

Water Meadows near Salisbury, c.1950

Edward Seago (1910–1974) Oil on board

Loaned by Sir Peter Duffell

The City and Cathedral of Salisbury seen from Harnham Hill, 1955 Lord R Methuen (1931-2014) Pen, ink and watercolour on paper

The Salisbury Museum From Constable: Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1996-7

Leon Kossoff (born 1926), after John Constable Etching on paper

Tate From Constable: Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1996-7

Leon Kossoff (born 1926), after John Constable Etching and aquatint on paper

Tate Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1998 Leon Kossoff (born 1926), after John Constable Etching on paper

Tate Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows, 1998 Leon Kossoff (born 1926), after John Constable Etching on paper

Tate

Salisbury Cathedral VI, 1996

Dennis Creffield (born 1931) Charcoal on paper

Private collection, courtesy of James Hyman Gallery, London And So It Goes II (after Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows), 2007

Kate Giles (born 1962) Oil on linen

Loaned by Lady Morse Tuning Fork I, 2009

Kate Giles (born 1962)

Oil on linen

Loaned by Kate Giles

'Your Britain – Fight For It Now', 1942

Frank Newbould (1887–1951) Watercolour and gouache On loan from Bill Horton’s Family 'Your Britain – Fight For It Now', 1942

Frank Newbould (1887–1951)

Poster reproduction

Imperial War Museum

Salisbury Cathedral with the River Avon in the foreground, c.1950

Claude Buckle (1905–1973) Pencil drawing Loaned by Cliff Dixon 'Salisbury by Rail', 1952

Claude Buckle (1905–1973) Poster design Collection of Mr T D Burlinson