Drawing was central to John Constable’s working life. Detailed sketches from nature, sometimes on a tiny scale, underpinned his exhibition works; they could provide inspiration for a watercolour of Stonehenge or information about a specific type of plough. And yet his drawings could also have an emotional dimension: Constable’s most private, soul-searching works are not in oils but in ink and graphite. In this talk, Susan Owens will explore the wide range of his drawing practice from his early Gainsborough-influenced views of East Bergholt lanes to the visionary ink blots of his later years.

Dr Susan Owens, former Curator of Paintings at the V&A, is an independent art historian. Her recent book, The Story of Drawing: An Alternative History of Art, won the Apollo Book of the Year award in 2024. She is currently preparing a book on Constable, to be published in 2026.

Please fill in your details below to RSVP for this event: