John Constable was born in Suffolk, England on the day of June 11, 1776 and died in March of 1873. His painting style resembles that of an English Romantic painter; although, he is mainly know for painting landscapes. The Hay Wain is one of Constables most popular paintings, and is considered one of the greatest in Britain. The setting of this oil canvas painting takes place on the River Stour, in Suffolk. To the left, you can see a small cottage. This cottage was owned by a man named Willy Lot, who was a tenant farmer at the time. As you move across the painting to the foreground, you see the hay wain, which is just a type of horse-drawn cart. Across the river and into meadow, you are able to point out people working in the field.
This scene is incredibly peaceful and quiet, and I think that is what he wanted to portray. Country life is simple, and Constable knew this. He drew and painted the surroundings that were familiar to him. If you haven’t been to Suffolk, England lately, you might be wondering what it looks like in that area. Well, I think this painting gives you a pretty good idea of how beautiful it actually is. If I could sum up my thoughts on this painting in one word, it would be “serene.”
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