Cornfields near Brighton
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
About the artist
1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Cornfields near Brighton is a 1850 by David Lucas, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
You see a print of cornfields near Brighton, with rolling hills and trees. This print is part of a series of mezzotints based on John Constable's work. It's interesting because Constable supervised the project, selecting his own oil sketches and paintings to be turned into mezzotints. The technique used to create this print is similar to chiaroscuro, a method that uses strong contrasts of light and dark to create depth.
This mezzotint by David Lucas depicts the rolling downs above Brighton, with the village of Rottingdean positioned in the middle ground. Part of the series *Various Subjects of English Landscape, Characteristic of English Scenery*, it translates John Constable’s original works into a refined graphic medium. Lucas employs mezzotint to capture the interplay of light and shadow, emphasizing the tactile quality of Constable’s brushwork. The print was produced posthumously, as part of later editions of the series completed after Constable’s death in 1837.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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