John Constable (1776-1837)

Often referred to as the first modern painter, John Constable showed little talent as a young man. Then in 1811, he suddenly discovered his style. The origin of Constable's inspiration was nature, which he regarded with almost religious awe. Unlike many of the other romantics who found nature destructive, Constable saw her as the source of everything that was good and healthy. His influence on the development of landscape painting was immeasurable, marked by the fact that after viewing a Constable, Delacriox repainted parts of the background in his "Massacre of Skios."