John Constable (1776–1837)
East Bergholt Church, from the Southwest
c. 1815–17
Graphite
Samuel Courtauld Trust: Spooner Bequest, 1967
Constable was born in East Bergholt, Suffolk. The local church, St. Mary’s, appears more often in the artist’s oeuvre than any other subject. This drawing of the unfinished tower is unusual in its size and finish, as Constable preferred to make small on-the spot studies in sketchbooks.