Study of sky and trees, with a red house, at Hampstead

Study of Sky and Trees, with a Red House, at Hampstead, painted on 12 September 1821 and held at the V&A, combines cloud observation with the study of how atmospheric conditions affect the landscape below. The red house provides a note of warm color that anchors the composition and provides scale. The precise date places this among Constable’s most intensive period of sky study, when he was systematically recording weather conditions on the Heath with scientific rigor.

The red house provides a sharp note of warm color against the greens and blues of sky and foliage. The study balances detailed sky observation with rapid notation of the landscape below, the paint applied with varying degrees of finish across the composition.

This dated Hampstead study from September 1821 is in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The painting records specific conditions during the early phase of Constable's Hampstead observation campaign. The small oil has been stabilized and cleaned. The sky and landscape effects are well-preserved. The red house provides a useful geographical reference point for identifying the exact location.