Artwork
A dog watching a rat in the water at Dedham
A dog watching a rat in the water at Dedham is a watercolor work on paper by the Romanticist artist John Constable. It dates from 4 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
A dog watching a rat in the water at Dedham is a watercolour painting depicting an animal scene.
Subject & Meaning
The work shows a dog intently watching a water rat, an unusual subject for John Constable, who typically incorporated animals into larger landscapes. The depiction is straightforward, lacking the sentimental tone that became common in later animal paintings.
History & Provenance
Constable likely created this watercolour during a journey to Suffolk, where he was to collect his daughters who were staying with family.
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Artist & collection
Artist
John Constable was an English landscape painter in the Romantic tradition. Born in Suffolk, he is known principally for revolutionising the genre of landscape painting with his pictures of Dedham Vale, the area on the…
