This is the first major painting by John Constable, painted when he was 26 years old, yet containing all of the elements he was to cultivate for the rest of his life. Almost all of Constable’s paintings are of scenes in or near the Stour Valley, where he was raised.

Though his landscapes are peaceful, his technique is somewhat revolutionary. Allowing the brown ground of the canvas to show through, Constable painted the foreground with thin strokes and dabs of paint, while the background is formed with longer, wider strokes.

This painting is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.