Bonington vs. Constable

Richard Parkes Bonington, View of the Coast of Normandy (1823) Oil on canvas, Musee du Louvre - Paris, France

It has been noted that my gallery includes a wide variety of artwork in which I can only hope to bring to life for you as I describe each detail and description. This particular piece of artwork was created by Richard Parkes Bonington in the early 1800's, and is quite a unique piece. One of a kind really. Some would say it is obscure as to what message Bonington was trying to convey through this piece.

Bonington was a British Romanticist who wished to center his art on landscapes. The majority of his artwork was created in various areas along the coasts of France. These landscapes were not detailed in the least, but his work intrigues me to think and question. His artwork poses a challenge to the viewer unlike many of the works of this time. Many of the pieces of artwork during the 1700's and 1800's, were straightforward with hidden agendas mixed within them on occasion, but nonetheless, they were traditional, religious, educational forms of art. Bonington's main choice of a medium is oil on canvas, however, in his early years of painting he used much more watercolor.

Nevertheless, Bonington's View of the Coast of Normandy (1823) was not detailed, but rather its display is very plain-jane, an almost abstract composition in comparison with John Constable's The Hay Wain (1821), which exhibited much complexity and detail.

John Constable, The Hay Wain (1821) oil on canvas, 130.2 x 185.4 cm, National Gallery, London

It was during this period of time that the oil tube hadn't been created, thus they stored their paint inside of animal gallbladders. However, Bonington's artistic style and "the method to his madness" was quite different from that of the French artists'. The French artists' preferred to sketch out their chosen piece at the actual scene and then return to their studios to paint the piece, but Bonington would rather paint his masterpiece at the scene of his choice. For this reason, Bonington's art work, such as View of the Coast of Normandy (1823), was rapidly painted and executed, which is also why the critics did not like his paintings. They said they lacked substance and depth. On the other hand, Constable's, The Hay Wain (1821) reveals not only substance and depth, but a hidden reality of the life of a farmer.

In John Constable's The Hay Wain (1821), he uses bold lines, smooth brushwork, and this work reveals much more pizazz than that of Bonington's piece of art work previous viewed above. The reality of life as a farmer during the 1800's was not all that grand. Anyone was allowed to cross through your property and if they so wished, they were free to plant crops and use your land legally. Another interesting theme that Constable brings forth through his painting is the sky. He believes that the sky is an organism of sentiment, thus he felt that when viewing his landscapes one should view the sky first. In Bonington's painting the sky is also a main theme shown, yet Bonington's lack of substance, other than a few contrasting colors, revealed nothing of impression to the art critics of this time. Nevertheless, it was through these two paintings that Impressionism was introduced.

These two works of art are incredibly different in their composition, but very similar in their overall theme. Both Bonington's View of the Coast of Normandy (1823) and Constable's, The Hay Wain (1821) have a landscape theme, and I feel like they executed each work very well. They both create a peaceful, relaxed mood when I view them, yet they are so different in detail. I love the brushwork that Constable incorporates into his painting, but I also like the simplicity of Bonington's work. I think there is a unique challenge here for the viewer. Each artist is asking, "What can I create to invoke a reaction? What can I create that will draw viewers attention to nature? How can I create something that will last a lifetime?" Well, they already have. This is why people still view each of these pieces of artwork today, and this is why I have chosen them to be displayed in my gallery. I hope you have enjoyed reading about these two magnificent and contrasting pieces of art. Please feel free to comment or ask any questions you wish, as I do not pose to be an art expert, but rather an art connoisseur of art itself.

Thank you, again,

Gallery 9310, The Owner