ART HISTORY TALK
Constable in Dorset
Illustrated Talk by Nick Reese
Friday 10 January 2019 6.30pm
Tickets: £10 or £28 with dinner to follow. Call 01308 459511 to book.
Following his two brilliant lectures about Turner, art historian Nick Reese returns to give another entertaining and fascinating talk with slides about Turner’s contemporary and rival, John Constable.
Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831 John Constable 1776-1837 Tate Gallery
Nick Reese has given numerous lectures for universities and societies as well as conducting Tate study room talks. A member of the Turner Society committee for many years, his astonishing level of knowledge of art history and his ability to communicate that enthusiasm is truly infectious. Don’t miss!
On 2nd October 1816 John Constable married his long-time sweetheart Maria Bicknell after a protracted and frustratingly long engagement. Their honeymoon was spent at Osmington, from where he made excursions to Weymouth, Portland, Preston, Sutton Poynz and Ringstead.
This was an important moment for Constable in his professional life as well as domestic. The Dorset Coast gave Constable a new range of landscape to explore and to imbue with his own emotional expression. It was probably the happiest period in his life for the Constables had waited seven years to be married and they were to have seven children over the subsequent twelve years.
The trip produced one masterpiece, the Weymouth Bay in the National Gallery as well as a wide range of sketches in pencil watercolour and oil.
He returned to Dorset on two further occasions producing important paintings as a result of his visits.
The lecture will examine Constable’s Dorset work in detail through sketches and paintings and place this work into the context of his life and career.
Please call 01308 459511 to book your tickets.
Weymouth Bay by John Constable
National Gallery
