Much of politics is very depressing at the moment so I decided I would rather write about art instead. I am interested in art in its various forms, but I do not regard myself as a proper art critic. Rather someone who likes to think about the significance of art and its place in our society. There is a place for patterns and decoration. Macintosh was very good at that, but I like to see if there is a meaning in pictures, or if they tell a story.
I was lucky enough to be able to see the Constable and Turner exhibition at the Tate. They were contemporaries, both at their peak in the first part of the nineteenth century, and in later life they almost became rivals. Most commentators regard the pair as the best English artists, though very different, both as people and in their style of painting. Constable came from a traditional English background in Suffolk, what is now known as Constable country. Turner was a bit of a bohemian. He had children but never married, and did not treat the women in his life very well.
J Constable (11.6.1776 – 31.3.1837), and JMW Turner (23.4.1775 – 19.12.1851)
They lived at a time of rapid change. In the mid nineteenth century England became a country where more people lived in towns than in the countryside. There were rapid technological changes happening, embodied particularly by the development of the railways. Neither of these painters saw much of the big changes brought about by the development of industry, although Turner did visit the North of England, doing a painting of the Quayside amongst others.
Constable is often regarded as revolutionising landscape painting, making it far more natural and alive than the staid paintings of existing masters such as Claude who painted solid landscapes, usually with balanced perspective. These were very formulaic, and often done in the studio rather than outside, and depicting classical myths or scenes from an imaginary Arcadia. Constable’s paintings were far more naturalistic and depicted scenes from rural life that he saw around him, such as ‘The Hay Wain.’ His paintings were symbolic too. Many of ‘Dedham Vale’ have the church in the background, a symbol of stability and solid morality in English life. He also painted coastal scenes and stormy weather.
Turner, on the other hand, painted a variety of scenes, usually concentrating on movement and light. His painting ‘Rain, Steam and Speed’ shows the noise, smoke, and general commotion caused by the railway. He also did symbolic paintings with a strong moral point such as the ‘Slave Ship,’ where slaves are thrown overboard to stop a ship sinking. ‘The Fighting Temeraire’ shows the change from the old to the new. He was fascinated by storms. On one occasion he had himself tied to the mast of a ship so he could witness a storm. There are many storm scenes, including an imaginary one of Hannibal being caught by a storm when crossing the alps. The outline of a poor elephant is clearly seen.
In later life both men competed to get pride of place in the Royal Academy summer exhibition, painting ‘six footers’ which could not escape people’s attention. They both developed a more impressionistic style, which prompted much ridicule at the time, Turner’s paintings at one time being likened to jam tarts thrown at a canvas. They became fascinated by light and storms. Despite ridicule, famous critics like John Ruskin remained loyal.
Constable did not make much money during his lifetime, and Turner resisted the attempts of rich patrons to buy his work, donating it to the Nation instead. We can all be grateful for that.
Subsequent expressions in British art
Impressionism went on to flourish in France, as most of us know, although I still maintain that the Glasgow Boys, although being less well known, are just as good.
Turner and Constable were succeeded by the Pre Raphaelites, whose paintings all told stories, often mythical or moral ones. The vigorous natural scenes of Constable and Turner were not followed by any of the major figures in English art. I went to see the exhibition at the Courtauld at the same time as I saw Turner and Constable. It was called ‘Seurat and the Sea,’ and contained pictures painted of the coast of France, as distinct from the urban Parisian scenes we normal associate with him. I was not impressed. Despite his innovative techniques and use of light, Seurat’s paintings were very lifeless and pallid. The beach banks at Easington look livelier than some of his cliff scenes. There is little movement in his sea scenes, and certainly no storms. Everything seems dead. I spoke to several admirers in the exhibition who enthused about his use of light, and how pointillism somehow “drew you into the picture”. I remain unimpressed. Give me Turner and Constable’s lively landscapes and threatening clouds any day.
English art shows our love as a nation of the countryside. Hockney likes bright rural scenes from Yorkshire. But they also have a vigour and liveliness that the impressionists and the classical masters before them lack. I am not quite sure what it says about our national character. Possibly that we are a spirited lot who will stand up to people we don’t like. It can be bad, such as when we decided to leave Europe, but good when Starmer finally brings himself to stand up to Trump.
