Constable, John (1776-1837)
Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Grounds
1826
Oil on canvas, 88.9 x 112.4 cm
Frick Collection, New York
This is one of several versions that Constable painted of the south facade of Salisbury Cathedral, the celebrated Anglican church about one hundred miles southwest of London. He traveled there to visit his friends Dr. John Fisher, Bishop of Salisbury (1748–1825), and the bishop’s nephew, Archdeacon John Fisher, who had purchased The White Horse (1943.1.147). Constable produced his first view of the cathedral (now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London) for the bishop and pictured around its soaring spire a dark, cloudy sky, which the bishop disliked. In response, Constable painted this version with a sunnier sky and a more open composition. In both, the artist included the figure of the bishop pointing out the cathedral’s spire to his wife, and beyond them a young lady holding a parasol, presumably one of their daughters. The bishop had died by the time the sunnier version was completed, and it was acquired by his family.
Source: The Frick Collection: Essential Guide, 2024.
Study:
Constable, John (1776-1837)
Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Grounds
c.1825
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Compare:
Constable, John (1776-1837)
Salisbury Cathedral from Lower Marsh Close
1820
National Gallery of Art, Washington