Flatford, Suffolk: Inspiration For 'Hay Wain' Painting

Flatford in Suffolk was the inspiration for the 'Hay Wain' painting - one of England's greatest paintings.

The Hay Wain is a painting by John Constable completed in 1821.

It captures a pastoral scene along the River Stour, which marks the boundary between Suffolk and Essex.

This masterpiece is displayed in the National Gallery in London and is celebrated as Constable's most renowned work and one of the greatest and most beloved English paintings.

Created with oils on canvas, the central focus of the painting is a trio of horses pulling a large farm wagon, or wood wain, across the river.

On the far left, Willy Lott's Cottage, which also inspired another painting by Constable, can be seen.

The scene is set near Flatford Mill in Suffolk, with the left bank of the river in Suffolk and the right bank in Essex.

The Hay Wain is part of a series of large-scale paintings by Constable known as the "six-footers," which he painted for the Royal Academy's annual summer exhibitions.

For each painting in this series, including "The Hay Wain," Constable created a full-scale oil sketch, now housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Additionally, an initial small oil sketch, where Constable experimented with extending the composition to the right, is part of the Yale Center for British Art collection.

Constable first exhibited the final painting under the title "Landscape: Noon," indicating his intention to align it with the classical tradition of depicting nature's cycles.

Willy Lott's House (featured in the painting)

Originally part of Gibbeon’s Gate Farm, Willy Lott's House is a Grade I listed building with a rich history.

Willy Lott (1761-1849) was a tenant farmer who managed the 39 acres of Gibbeon's Gate Farm around Flatford. He lived in the house on this farmland, where both he and his siblings were born.

After Willy Lott's death, the house went through several residents and eventually fell into disrepair.

Interest in the artist John Constable during the 1920s prompted superficial restorations to maintain the house's exterior for visitors.

It was around this time that the house was renamed Willy Lott's House.

By 1925, the house had deteriorated significantly and was offered to the National Trust in hopes of preservation.

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings warned the National Trust about the high cost of repairs, estimated at around £1750, and advised that the Trust should only take it on after repairs and with a maintenance guarantee.

Willy Lott's House, along with Flatford Mill, was eventually purchased by Thomas Parkington, an Ipswich builder and philanthropist.

Parkington committed to repairing and maintaining the house during his lifetime and bequeathing it to the National Trust in memory of John Constable.

When Thomas Parkington died in 1943, nearly bankrupt, the National Trust agreed to buy Flatford Mill from his estate trustees.

Surprisingly, the liquidation of Parkington’s estate yielded more than expected, and Mrs. Parkington offered to return the money the National Trust had paid for the house and mill.

John Constable (1776–1837)

John Constable (1776–1837) was an English Romantic painter renowned for his landscape paintings of Dedham Vale, the area surrounding his home in Suffolk, now affectionately known as "Constable Country."

He is considered one of the most important British landscape artists, whose work deeply influenced the trajectory of landscape painting in the 19th century.

Constable was passionate about art from an early age.

He attended Dedham Grammar School and later convinced his father to allow him to pursue a career in art.

In 1799, Constable enrolled in the Royal Academy Schools in London, where he received formal training and was influenced by the works of old masters, especially Claude Lorrain and Peter Paul Rubens.

Constable's approach to landscape painting was revolutionary for his time. He rejected the classical traditions of idealized landscapes, instead seeking to capture nature with realism and authenticity.

His works are characterised by their vivid colour palette, dynamic compositions, and meticulous attention to the effects of light and atmosphere.

He often painted outdoors, directly from nature, which was a relatively uncommon practice among his contemporaries.

Constable's most famous paintings include:

• The Hay Wain (1821): Depicts a rural scene on the River Stour with a hay wagon crossing the water. This painting is celebrated for its naturalistic depiction of rural life.

• Dedham Vale (1802): One of his early masterpieces, capturing the pastoral beauty of his native countryside.

• The Leaping Horse (1825): Part of his series of large-scale "six-footer" canvases, showcasing a horse leaping over a barrier on the River Stour.

• Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows (1831): Reflects his deep religious faith and love for the English landscape.

John Constable's work was not immediately recognised in England, but he found significant success in France, where his naturalistic style influenced the Barbizon School and, later, the Impressionists.

His dedication to painting realistic landscapes inspired future generations of artists to explore plein air painting and the direct observation of nature.

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