John Constable country. Flatford Mill by the River Stour on the Essex/Suffolk border.

Commentary.

 

Either side of the Suffolk/Essex border is “John Constable” country.

Dedham, to the south of the River Stour meadows is in Essex.

On the north side of the flood plain is East Bergholt.

Here, near the famed boat-building dry-dock, Willy Lott’s Cottage and Flatford Lock is Flatford Mill, originally built in 1733.

 

In this image we look north from the Stour tow-path

across the mill-pond to the renowned building.

There is a timeless quality to this rural area.

 

Perhaps, because John Constable immortalised

this area in his superb oil and water-colour

paintings of early 19th. Century Suffolk, we dare not desecrate its spirit, soul and quintessentially rural character.

 

Even though his landscapes might be regarded as idealised, romanticised and sterilised he could only paint what he saw.

The abject poverty and fragility of such rural communities

is hard to portray in landscape paintings.

 

However, his portrayal of trees, skies, light,

buildings, ponds, rivers, fields, animals and working people

is simply the work of a genius, a master at work.

His passion and talent, inspired my own,

for this very special environment.

 

Done