Salisbury Cathedral from the Close

Salisbury Cathedral from the Close, painted in August 1820, is one of Constable’s first studies of the cathedral made during a visit to his friend Archdeacon John Fisher. Viewed from the Cathedral Close, the spire rises dramatically against a dynamic sky typical of Constable’s best atmospheric observations. The 1820 date makes this one of the earliest Salisbury studies, preceding the major commissioned versions. Constable found in Salisbury a subject that combined architectural grandeur with the natural landscape he loved, and the cathedral became one of the recurring motifs of his career alongside the Stour Valley and Hampstead Heath.

The sketch balances architectural precision with atmospheric spontaneity. Constable renders the cathedral's stone surfaces with subtle variations of warm gray while the surrounding trees are painted with vigorous, broken touches of green.

This oil sketch from August 1820 is in the Victoria and Albert Museum. It was made during one of Constable's visits to his close friend Archdeacon John Fisher. The sketch has been stabilized and cleaned. The relatively thin paint layer is in good condition. This study relates to the larger Salisbury Cathedral compositions that Constable developed over the following years.