This September Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831 will go on display in Salisbury as part of Aspire. The painting, part of Tate’s collection, is touring the UK and will be ‘going home’ to The Salisbury Museum from 17 September. The Museum, which sits adjacent to the Cathedral, will be mounting a new exhibition, Constable in Context: Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows in perspective, where the painting will be the star among images of Salisbury Cathedral through the ages.
Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows is one of a series of monumental ‘six footer’ canvases painted by John Constable. He called it ‘The Great Salisbury’ and wrote ‘I am told I got it to look better than anything I have yet done.’
The exhibition will put Constable’s painting in its historical and artistic context, by showing it alongside paintings of Salisbury Cathedral from the 17th century to the 21st century. This visual timeline will feature many works from the museum’s own collection, including watercolours by Henrick de Cort, Frederick Nash, Frederick MacKenzie and JMW Turner. Visitors will see Constable’s place in the recording of this great building and also the huge impact his radical painting style had on the artists who followed. There was a marked turning point following this work, with many artists changing direction from architectural representations to being more expressive. Visitors will also be able to ‘walk in Constable’s footsteps’ and take in the view of the Cathedral from where Constable painted the original scene.
A new content hub will go live on Tate’s website to coincide with the opening of the exhibition. The hub offers a ‘longer look’ at Constable’s work, providing an in depth exploration and the context in which it was painted. Three specially commissioned films provide insight into the conservation and curation of the painting, and offer activities inspired by Constable. www.tate.org.uk/aspire
Adrian Green, Director of the Salisbury Museum, said: ‘We are very excited that we are displaying Constable’s masterpiece in the city that inspired him. The Museum is located opposite the Cathedral, backs onto the water meadows and is adjacent to where Constable stayed in the Close – so one can literally walk out into the canvas and see a landscape that has changed little since Constable’s time.’
Caroline Collier, Tate’s Director of Partnerships and Programmes, said: ‘We are happy that Constable’s remarkable painting will soon be seen in Salisbury, a place that meant so much to Constable and was the inspiration for this, one of his greatest works. Constable thought so highly of the painting that he wanted to tour it nationally. The Salisbury Museum is a fitting partner for the Aspire programme, that has enabled this masterpiece to be enjoyed by people across England, Scotland and Wales, fulfilling Constable’s ambition for it to reach a wide public.’
The painting was secured by Tate for the British public through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), The Manton Foundation, Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation) and Tate Members. Its display in Salisbury is part of Aspire, a five-year partnership project between five partner institutions - Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales; the National Galleries of Scotland; Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service; The Salisbury Museum; and Tate Britain; supported by HLF and Art Fund to enable the work to go on almost constant view across the United Kingdom.
Exhibition:
Constable in Context: Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows in perspective
17 September 2016 – 25 March 2017
No booking required
Normal admission charges apply
All museum tickets are valid for 1 year
£8 Adults, £4 Children
Image:
Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831
John Constable (1776 – 1837)
© Tate, London 2013
Purchased with assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Manton Foundation, Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation) and Tate Members
Notes to Editors:
- Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows 1831 was secured for the British public though major grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Manton Foundation, Art Fund (with a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation) and Tate Members. Aspire is a five-year partnership project between Tate Britain, National Galleries of Scotland, National Museum Wales, The Salisbury Museum and Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Art Fund, which will enable this work to go on almost constant view at these venues. Each partner will display the work in the context of their collection, alongside an inspiring programme of activities enabling audiences of all ages to enjoy and learn more about the work of John Constable. www.tate.org.uk/aspire
- Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)
Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about - from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife. www.hlf.org.uk @heritagelottery - Art Fund is the national fundraising charity for art. In the past five years alone Art Fund has given £34 million to help museums and galleries acquire works of art for their collections. It also helps museums share their collections with wider audiences by supporting a range of tours and exhibitions, including ARTIST ROOMS and the 2013-18 Aspire tour of Tate’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows by John Constable, and makes additional grants to support the training and professional development of curators.
Art Fund is independently funded, with the core of its income provided by 122,000 members who receive the National Art Pass and enjoy free entry to over 230 museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, as well as 50% off entry to major exhibitions. In addition to grant-giving, the Art Fund’s support for museums includes the annual Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year (won by The Whitworth, Manchester, in 2015), a publications programme and a range of digital platforms. Find out more about Art Fund and the National Art Pass at www.artfund.org
The Salisbury Museum
The Kings House
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Salisbury
Wiltshire
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PRESS CONTACTS
Tate
Rebecca Ward: rebecca@rebeccaward.co.uk or 01722 820541
The Salisbury Museum
Louise Tunnard: louisetunnard@salisburymuseum.org.uk or 01722 820541
Art Fund
Madeline Adeane: madeane@artfund.org or 0207 225 4804
HLF
Katie Owen: KatieO@hlf.org.uk or 020 7591 6036