As part of the ‘Discover’ series, this catalogue explores Constable’s most famous painting and its social, political and artistic significance. It begins with an introduction to depictions of rural England by the artist’s predecessors and contemporaries in the British art world, before examining how the English landscape was changing physically and politically at the turn of the nineteenth century. Having set the context, the publication considers Constable’s life and career prior to producing The Hay Wain, going on to look closely at the making of the painting itself, the artist’s practice and materials, and the work’s exhibition in Britain. Two further chapters focus on Constable on the international stage in his lifetime and beyond, and the afterlife of The Hay Wain. EXHIBITION SCHEDULE 17 October 2024–2 February 2025, The National Gallery, London