Flatford Lock 1810 - 1811

John Constable painted Flatford Lock with oil on canvas, a traditional combination of materials for the time. But the way he handled these materials was quite modern. Look at the energy of his brushstrokes, how he built up layers of paint to create the scene. He wasn't trying to just represent the landscape, but to capture its vitality. The locks themselves were, of course, crucial pieces of infrastructure, enabling the transport of goods and materials. Constable’s father was a merchant in the East Bergholt region, and would have relied on the river trade. So this isn't just a picturesque scene. It's a slice of the industrial revolution. The sheer amount of labor involved in the pre-industrial landscape contrasts with our own contemporary world. It makes us consider the relationship between labor, landscape, and the changing face of England during Constable's era. It’s a work of art, yes, but also a document of a changing world.