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On the Stour (Reverse: Study of Cows)
John Constable·1830
Historical Context
This 1830 view on the Stour, with a study of cows on the reverse, exemplifies Constable's practice of using both sides of panels for sketching. The Stour continued to provide subjects throughout his career, and the cow study served preparatory purposes for pastoral compositions. Constable built up his oil surfaces with broken, textured paint — including his celebrated 'snow' of white highlights applied with a palette knife — achieving a sense of natural freshness that astonished French artists a
Technical Analysis
The sketch captures the essential character of the Stour valley with economical brushwork, while the verso cow study demonstrates Constable's direct, observational approach to animal painting.
Look Closer
- ◆Look at the Stour scene on the front — the river subject rendered with the direct, economical brushwork of an oil sketch rather than the worked-up surface of an exhibition painting.
- ◆Notice the sketch's directness — Constable's oil sketches have a spontaneity absent from his finished paintings, the compositional thinking visible in the rapid notation of essential elements.
- ◆Observe the cows on the reverse — Constable's practice of using both sides of panels for observation reveals his working method, the reverse study showing the immediate observation that fed his larger compositions.
- ◆Find the specific quality of the Stour — even in sketch form, the river's specific reflective and atmospheric character is recognizable as the Stour rather than any other waterway.
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