The painting marked a vital turning point in the artist's career.[1] It was the first in a series of six so called ‘Six-Footers’, depicting scenes on the River Stour,[2] which includes his celebrated work The Hay Wain. The subject of the painting is a tow-horse being ferried across the river in Flatford, just below the Lock, at a point where the towpath switches banks.[3]
The painting is based on sketches that Constable produced in his native Suffolk, but the full composition was finished between 1818-1819 during his time in London.[4] The painting was completed and exhibited at the Royal Exhibition in 1819, where it was well received. Constable was voted an Associate of the Royal Academy on the strength of it.[5] The painting was purchased for 100 guineas by Constables friend John Fisher, the Bishop of Salisbury,[6] who would later commission his painting Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop's Grounds.[7] This purchase finally provided Constable with financial security and it’s arguable that without it, he may have given up painting altogether.[8]
The White Horse was one of Constable’s favourite paintings. He commented in a letter to Fisher in 1826:
There are generally in the life of an artist perhaps one, two or three pictures, on which hang more than usual interest – this is mine.[9]
In 1830, when Fisher was heavily indebted, he bought the painting back, also for 100 guineas.[10] He would keep it for the rest of his life.[11] After his death in 1837, the painting passed through the hands of various English collectors, before being brought to the United States by financier J. P. Morgan.[12]
Beckett, R.B. (1962), John Constable's Correspondence VI: The Fishers, Woodbridge: Boydell & Brewer Ltd, ISBN9780900716096
Johnson, Paul (1991), The Birth of the Modern: World Society 1815-1830, University of Michigan: HarperCollins, ISBN9780060165741
External linksedit
The Frick Collection
January 01, 1970
white, horse, constable, white, horse, canvas, landscape, painting, english, artist, john, constable, completed, 1819, frick, collection, york, city, white, horseartistjohn, constableyear1819mediumoil, canvasdimensions131, locationfrick, collection, york, city. The White Horse is an oil on canvas landscape painting by the English artist John Constable It was completed in 1819 and is now in the Frick Collection in New York City The White HorseArtistJohn ConstableYear1819MediumOil on canvasDimensions131 4 cm 188 3 cm 51 7 in 74 1 in LocationFrick Collection New York City The painting marked a vital turning point in the artist s career 1 It was the first in a series of six so called Six Footers depicting scenes on the River Stour 2 which includes his celebrated work The Hay Wain The subject of the painting is a tow horse being ferried across the river in Flatford just below the Lock at a point where the towpath switches banks 3 Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksHistory editThe painting is based on sketches that Constable produced in his native Suffolk but the full composition was finished between 1818 1819 during his time in London 4 The painting was completed and exhibited at the Royal Exhibition in 1819 where it was well received Constable was voted an Associate of the Royal Academy on the strength of it 5 The painting was purchased for 100 guineas by Constables friend John Fisher the Bishop of Salisbury 6 who would later commission his painting Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop s Grounds 7 This purchase finally provided Constable with financial security and it s arguable that without it he may have given up painting altogether 8 The White Horse was one of Constable s favourite paintings He commented in a letter to Fisher in 1826 There are generally in the life of an artist perhaps one two or three pictures on which hang more than usual interest this is mine 9 In 1830 when Fisher was heavily indebted he bought the painting back also for 100 guineas 10 He would keep it for the rest of his life 11 After his death in 1837 the painting passed through the hands of various English collectors before being brought to the United States by financier J P Morgan 12 The full size oil sketch for The White Horse is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington D C 13 See also editList of paintings by John Constable Stratford Mill The Hay Wain The LockReferences edit Sotheby s The White Horse essay Johnson 1991 p 613 The Frick Collection Parris Leslie Fleming Williams Ian 1991 Constable Tate Gallery p 193 ISBN 1854370707 Sotheby s Immortalised Landscape of Constable Country Johnson 1991 p 614 The V amp A Johnson 1991 p 614 Beckett 1962 p 212 Sotheby s The White Horse essay The Frick Collection The Frick Collection National Gallery of ArtBibliography editBeckett R B 1962 John Constable s Correspondence VI The Fishers Woodbridge Boydell amp Brewer Ltd ISBN 9780900716096 Johnson Paul 1991 The Birth of the Modern World Society 1815 1830 University of Michigan HarperCollins ISBN 9780060165741External links editThe Frick Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The White Horse Constable amp oldid 1222277388, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
