A golden afternoon in Constable country

In the July Spotlight, Julian Earwaker takes a magical boat ride down Britain's waterways on board a narrowboat, only to be "overtaken by two people walking a dog" along the towpath. "Life in the slow lane", indeed. Can you imagine a nicer way to enjoy the English countryside?

The essence of that landscape can be found in the paintings of John Constable (1776-1837). Though not nearly as popular in his day as his contemporary, J. M. W. Turner, whom Constable admired for his "wonderful range of mind", Constable developed a legendary painting method that demanded detailed familiarity with the agricultural life of his native Suffolk. It earned him a reputation as a faithful copyist of nature, but in truth he wanted to show the "natural history of the landscape".

When Britain's canals were cut in the 18th century, landowners were not all in favour. One can easily imagine why. Even as Constable was celebrating the British landscape, large tracts of it were disappearing beneath spreading cities and factories. Constable's father was a rich corn merchant and shipping operator. Look closely at Constable's paintings of his parents' home, Flatford Mill, and you will see the canal and lock next to the mill race that made the stream navigable; a dry dock for shipbuilding; and the mill itself. All of these were signs of the Industrial Revolution encroaching on on the rural idyll. Constable, however, bathed them all in the warm, nostalgic glow of a golden afternoon.

This week, come build your vocabulary to describe the waterways and landmarks of Constable country on the next page.

Anne Hodgson