John Constable was born in East Bergholt and even when he moved to London, he would journey home frequently to sketch the valley of the Stour. ‘I associate my careless boyhood with all that lies on the Banks of the Stour; those scenes made me a painter, and I am grateful’. The famous Hay Wain failed to receive much acclaim when exhibited in London but at the Paris Salon three years later it created a sensation. The painting had a huge influence on the development of landscape painting, especially on the French Impressionists.
Reflection of Willy Lott’s House, Flatford.
Sylvaine Poitau/Apa Publications
Thomas Gainsborough, the great English painter of portraits and landscapes, was born in Sudbury in 1727 and most of his early work was local Suffolk scenes. Although he made his living as a painter of portraits of the aristocracy and royal family, his first love was always landscape.
Sir Alfred Munnings (1878–1959) was primarily an equestrian painter who lived in Dedham for much of his life, but he was also a portraitist and landscape artist – as you can see from the works of art in his house in Dedham, now a museum.
The Suffolk village of Walberswick has always been a favourite for artists and today has a thriving arts community. Philip Wilson Steer, the progressive British painter who looked to France for inspiration, produced seascapes of Walberswick which are regarded as some of the finest Impressionist works by an English artist. The painter rented his house next to the Bell Inn to the Scottish architect and artist, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who painted botanical sketches around Walberswick.
The Norwich School
Founded in 1803, the Norwich School was a group of landscape artists who painted local scenes directly from nature, rather than the traditional imaginary or idealised landscapes. The leading lights were John Crome, who was self-taught and influenced by the 17th-century Dutch school and the more prolific John Sell Cotman, best known for his watercolours.
Where to see art
Gainsborough’s House, Sudbury (www.gainsborough.org). Birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough, displaying a large collection of his works.
The Munnings Art Museum, Dedham (www.munningsmuseum.org.uk). Home of the equine-painter, Sir Alfred Munnings.
Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich (www.cimuseums.org.uk). The largest collection of Constable’s and Gainsborough’s work outside London.
Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery (www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk). The most comprehensive collection of the work of the Norwich School, covering three generations and some 50 artists.
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk). Works by Constable, Gainsborough, the Norwich School and Maggi Hambling.
Aldeburgh: Maggi Hambling’s Scallop (for more information, click here). Aldeburgh also has some notable galleries, including Caroline Wiseman Modern and Contemporary on Crag Path.
Flatford Mill: Visit the exact spot where the artist painted The Hay Wain (now in the National Gallery, London).