Stour Valley and Dedham Church

This painting shows the valley of the River Stour in Suffolk, close to the border with Essex, the native region of John Constable. In the distance stands the church at Dedham, while in the foreground farmworkers are loading a cart, a detail that brings an everyday rural scene to life. The work was commissioned as a wedding present for Philadelphia Godfrey, the daughter of a local squire, by her husband. It depicts the valley in autumn as seen from the grounds of her father's house, so it served as a keepsake of a place she knew well. Constable drew on direct observation of his home landscape, a feature found in much of his output. It was shown at the Royal Academy's Spring Exhibition at Somerset House in 1815. Today it belongs to the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it was acquired in 1948.

Painter

John Constable

Date

1814

Medium

oil paint, canvas

Dimensions

56 × 78 cm

Museum

Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Boston

Genre

landscape painting

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