Landscape (The Lock) - John Constable

Henry Field Memorial Collection

"Landscape (The Lock)" by John Constable (c. 1820–25) Oil on canvas.

Commentary

"Landscape (The Lock)" by John Constable (c. 1820–25) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. Its painted surface guides your eye through color, brushwork, and contrast rather than through narrative alone. Themes to notice include 19th century, painting. This piece is held in the source collection's Painting and Sculpture of Europe collection. John Constable is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Attributed to John Constable (English, 1776–1837). The work is cataloged within a England cultural context. It is associated with the 19th century period. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as painting, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Oil on canvas) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (71.5 × 92 cm (28 1/4 × 36 in.); Framed: 116.3 × 135.9 × 14 cm (45 3/4 × 53 1/2 × 5 1/2 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include 19th century, painting. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/879

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data