First published in 1843 and reissued here in its expanded second edition of 1845, this biography represents an early and informed portrait of the prolific landscape artist and draughtsman John Constable (1776 1837). An upbringing in the East Anglian countryside and his first sighting of a painting by Claude Lorrain inspired his lifelong dedication to capturing scenes from nature, reflected in early works such as Dedham Vale (1802) and in his mature masterpieces, notably The Hay Wain (1821). Prepared by Charles Robert Leslie (1794 1859), a close friend and fellow member of the Royal Academy,...