John Constable ( 1776 – 1837) is undoubtedly the best Essex artist.

His pictures of the landscape of the Essex-Suffolk border are known throughout the world, and nobody has done more to make Essex known as a place of natural beauty.

The Haywain

He is celebrated for his genius at capturing the natural beauty of Essex. On the other hand, my father, a Yorkshireman, reckons his genius is in making the flat, drab and boring Essex countryside look half-interesting.