National Gallery visits Croydon

John Constable’s The Cornfield, one of the most beloved paintings from The National Gallery’s London collection, on show in Croydon as part of a nationwide tour.

Viewing Times

About Constable’s The Cornfield

Completed in John Constable’s London studio in 1826, The Cornfield depicts a lane shown winding into a vibrant cornfield, based on a path which the artist often walked along as a boy. The painting often inspires viewers to think about what home means to them and how it makes them feel.

Constable is famous for his landscapes, which are mostly of the Suffolk countryside, where he was born and lived. He made many open-air sketches, using these as a basis for his large exhibition paintings, which were worked up in the studio in central London.

His pictures are extremely popular today, but they were not particularly well received in England during his lifetime.

Constable was born in East Bergholt, Suffolk. He was largely self-taught, and developed slowly. In 1799 he was a probationer, and in 1800 a student at the Royal Academy schools. He exhibited from 1802 at the Royal Academy in London, and later at the Paris Salon.

Constable was influenced by Dutch and French artists, but the realism and vitality of his work makes it highly original.

Cultural Map of Croydon

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Audio Description for Rural Croydon exhibition