John Constable: The Man and His Art [Hardcover]

Ronald Parkinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1998

Both an introduction to John Constable's life and a companion to the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection, this book ranges from his early years at the Royal Academy, through his relationship with fellow artist, William Turner, to his last years in Hampstead. The Constable Collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, much of which was the gift and bequest of the artist's daughter, is the largest and most comprehensive anywhere. It is particularly strong in preparatory studies which give an insight into the creative process, and provides a view of how some of Constable's major masterpieces came into being. The book is illustrated throughout in colour with key paintings and drawings and details which reveal Constable's mastery of technique.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Victoria & Albert Museum (January 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 185177243X
• ISBN-13: 978-1851772438
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,141,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well done Ronald Parkinson, May 7, 2002

By 

luke kralik (Erie, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Constable: The Man and His Art (Hardcover)

I found this book to be a very insightful look into the work of John Constable. Ronald Parkinson, the author, shows remarkable restraint by resisting the urge to transform Constable into a mythic misunderstood genius from the glorious history of English painting. The book reads like a good biography. It tells us what Constable was up to, what artists he was looking at, and the images of what he was painting at that time. What more could you ask for.

My only qualm with the book was its lack of information on Constable's contemporaries. A few hints at what Turner was painting was not enough. I would have liked to have seen more examples of English painters dealing with the landscape even if it meant details from the backgrounds of uninspired portraits.

All in all this was a wonderful book, even if you have little interest in English landscape paintings.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Nice, Standard Biography, May 2, 2007

By 

David Adams (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: John Constable: The Man and His Art (Hardcover)

The Parkinson is a nice, standard biography, by no means definitive. I only rate it at 4 stars because the plates are mostly half-page rather than full. Constable is an artist for whom you want to see LARGE plates. There are also a number of nice, small drawings. It's not the only Constable book to have, but worth finding for an overview of his work.