Artwork
HAMPSTEAD HEATH, MIDDLESEX, "Ut Umbra sic Vita."
HAMPSTEAD HEATH, MIDDLESEX, "Ut Umbra sic Vita." is a print by the Romanticist artist John Constable. It dates from 1831 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Hampstead Heath, Middlesex, 'Ut Umbra sic Vita' is a mezzotint print from John Constable's seminal series 'English Landscape', a collection of 22 landscape subjects executed by David Lucas between 1830 and 1832.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a real English landscape near Hampstead Heath, Middlesex. Through this series, Constable aimed to promote appreciation for England's scenery and illustrate the guiding principle of chiaroscuro, emphasizing the interplay of light and shadow in landscape.
Technique & Style
Drawing inspiration from Claude Lorrain and J.M.W. Turner, Constable oversaw the mezzotint production, a technique well-suited to capturing subtle gradations of light and shadow, a hallmark of his work. David Lucas, a young mezzotinter, executed the plates.
History & Provenance
Originally published in six parts from 1830 to 1832, the series underwent revisions by Constable in 1833 (second edition). After his death in 1837, additional reprints, completions of in-progress plates, and new plates by Lucas followed.
Context
Created late in Constable's career, 'English Landscape' served as a platform for the then-underappreciated artist to explain and justify his life's work, selecting subjects of personal and historical significance.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Constable (; 11 June 1776 – 31 March 1837) was an English landscape painter in the Romantic tradition.
