Constable and Turner: two great innovative artists

John Constable and JMW Turner are seen as the two definitive British artists of the 19th century. As we will discuss, both artists were highly innovative in their own way and took art in new and fascinating directions. The two men and their art were very different: Turner a boy prodigy who soon entered the Royal Academy, Constable a slow-burner who took years to be recognised. Turner outgoing and progressive, Constable taciturn and conservative. Yet both were important artists in the evolution of French Impressionism as we will discuss: Constable’s ‘The Haywain’ and Turner’s ‘Rain, Steam and Speed’ are key pictures.

Aims of the course

This course aims to:
1. Analyse why Constable’s art was considered radical in its day
2. Analyse Turner’s role as the pre-eminent painter of 19th-century Britain
3. Discuss the importance and legacy of both artists

Course Content

John Constable and J M W Turner are seen as the two definitive British artists of the 19th-century. As we shall discuss, both artists were highly innovative in their own way and took art in new and fascinating directions, yet the two men and their art were very different: Turner was a boy prodigy who soon entered the Royal Academy, Constable a slow-burner who took years to be recognised. Turner was outgoing and progressive, Constable taciturn and conservative. Turner was a natural salesman who had his own showroom, Constable struggled for money for much of his life, with a large and growing family to support.

Both were important artists in the evolution of French Impressionism as we shall discuss; Constable’s ‘The Haywain’ and Turner’s ‘Rain, Steam and Speed’ are key pictures that will receive considerable analysis. You will appreciate that Constable was largely confined to eastern and southern England, while Turner was an inveterate traveller, including France, Italy and Germany.

For Constable we will view many pictures of his native Suffolk, but also discuss his friendships with a clerical uncle and nephew both named John Fisher; generating a number of depictions of Salisbury Cathedral. Partially due to his very poor ‘political’ skills it took Constable years to be elected to the Royal Academy; we will examine the pictures that he submitted to the annual exhibitions once accepted. Turner was an instant hit at the Royal Academy, and this early acclaim gave him the confidence to experiment in directions that other artists were reluctant to follow. His later works are particularly ground-breaking, with the capture of light a prime motivation.

Presentation of the course

The course will be based on a PowerPoint presentation of images, supplemented by clips of film. There will be plenty of discussion of issues that arise during the development of the presentation, with student participation actively encouraged.

Class sessions

1. Constable’s early years in Suffolk, Turner’s travels throughout Britain
2. Turner in Europe, Constable’s famous ‘six-footers’
3. Constable in Brighton and Hampstead, Turner at the Royal Academy
4. Turner and Constable: Experiments and Innovations
5. Years of triumph and tragedy

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes for this course are:
1. An understanding of why Constable’s technique was a radical one
2. An understanding of Turner’s legacy to British art
3. The individual qualities that explain why Constable and Turner are venerated as great artists. 

Required reading

Evans, Mark. John Constable: The Making of a Master, London: V&A Publishing, 2014

Wilton, Andrew. J M W Turner: His Art and Life, Secaucas NJ: Poplar Books, c. 1979

Typical week: Monday to Friday

Courses run from Monday to Friday. For each week of study, you select a morning (Am) course and an afternoon (Pm) course. The maximum class size is 25 students. 

Courses are complemented by a series of daily plenary lectures, exploring new ideas in a wide range of disciplines. To add to the learning experience, we are also planning additional evening talks and events.

Evaluation and Academic Credit 

If you are seeking to enhance your own study experience, or earn academic credit from your Cambridge Summer Programme studies at your home institution, you can submit written work for assessment for one or more of your courses. 

Essay questions are set and assessed against the University of Cambridge standard by your Course Director, a list of essay questions can be found in the Course Materials. Essays are submitted two weeks after the end of each course, so those studying for multiple weeks need to plan their time accordingly. There is an evaluation fee of £75 per essay.

For more information about writing essays see Evaluation and Academic Credit.

Certificate of attendance

A certificate of attendance will be sent to you electronically after the programme.