11/06/2026
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of John Constable on 11th June 1776
250 years on, Constable is beloved for the revolutionary naturalism with which he painted the English landscape, particularly the Stour Valley round his home in Suffolk. As a young painter he also made portraits of local families, including The Cooper sisters of Woodhouse Farm, Stratford St Mary, c.1802, sold by Richard Green to Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich in 2002. It is currently on view in Christchurch Mansion’s “Constable: A Cast of Characters” (until 14 June), the first of three exhibitions devoted to the artist. “The Hay Wain: Walking Constable’s Landscape” (11 July-4 October) and “Constable to Contemporary” (24 October-28 February 2027) continue the tale.