Artwork
SUMMER, AFTERNOON - AFTER A SHOWER
SUMMER, AFTERNOON - AFTER A SHOWER 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
This print stands out because it comes from one of the most important mezzotint series ever published.
John Constable’s print Summer, Afternoon – After a Shower shows a quiet English landscape. Made in 1831, it’s part of a famous series of 22 mezzotints. Constable helped choose the scenes and guided the printing process himself.
This print stands out because it comes from one of the most important mezzotint series ever published. It’s all about the calm after rain, no people, just fields and sky.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
Summer, Afternoon – After a Shower is a mezzotint print by David Lucas, based on a work by John Constable, created in 1831. It is part of a notable series of 22 landscape mezzotints.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene English landscape after a rain shower, featuring fields and sky without human presence. It showcases the effects of light and shadow, highlighting the natural principle of chiaroscuro.
Technique & Style
The series, titled English Landscape, was executed in mezzotint, a technique that allows for rich tonal variations. Lucas's work was guided by Constable, who sought to demonstrate the importance of light and shadow in landscape.
History & Provenance
Constable initiated the English Landscape series between 1830 and 1832, revising it in 1833. Lucas continued to work on the series after Constable's death in 1837, completing and publishing additional plates.
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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…
