Summer Evening by John Constable (and David Lucas 1802-1881), 1776-1837

John Constable (and David Lucas 1802-1881), 1776-1837
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Summer Evening

Mezzotint with touches of drypoint in black ink. 1829/31. Brilliant and very rare early proof, with the image completed but before the last revisions. Before the first issue for part 111 of 'English Landscape Scenery'.
Ref: Shirley - Mezzotints of David Lucas after Constable no 6, trial state, approx e of g, before reworking of parts of the distant landscape, trees on the right, the cow etc.

Brilliant proof impression, before all lettering. On pale cream laid india (chine appliqué) with a white stiff wove backing sheet, as printed. Generally excellent condition; slightest signs of old mounting on the reverse, a very minor 1 inch vertical printing crease at the toop edge, hardly visible except in side light. Wide margins. Sheet: 13 x 16 1/4ins. Plate: 6 7/8 x 9 7/8ins. (176x252mm)

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At the beginning of the 1830's Constable was increasingly interested in the tone effects of light in landscape. In his paintings the treatment of colour emphasizes differing tonal values rather than just a visual idea, and he also made studies in water-colour and in oil in which he did not use colour at all but concentrated on a variety of washes and strokes in greys and whites. There is a famous series of studies of weather and light effects in skies - with no portrayal of landscape - in which Constable used purely such tone values, and no true colour, to express the effects of changing weather conditions.

Constable referred to such works as a part of his search for what he called the chiaroscuro of nature - the light and dark of nature. These ideas led him to want to try the intrinsically monochrome medium of print to investigate such themes. He had learnt the technique of pure etching some years earlier, drawing just a very few compositions in linear etching, but at this point he felt he needed a print medium which was more essentially tonal. He thought that mezzotint, with its infinite variations from dark to light, would be really expressive. Unfortunately he did not feel capable of mastering the medium for himself so he enlisted the help of a young professional mezzotint printmaker, David Lucas (1802971881). Lucas was already making a reputation for his sensitive work, and Constable asked him to work with him on a series of landscape compositions which would focus on the tone and atmospheric effects of light in landscape. Constable called the proposed series Various Subjects of Lan4scape Characteristic of English Landscape Scenery.

Constable and Lucas worked extremely closely together on the prints. First Constable would make an outline study in almost monochrome water-colour washes; this Lucas would translate into broad tones of mezzotint A proof was pulled and submitted to Constable who would work up the detail, and the subtlety of the tones, directly onto the proof using water-colour, pencil and scraper. Lucas then worked his plate further using the touched proof as a guide. A further proof was then pulled, resubmitted to Constable and further touched and worked-over. This process could go through very many stages until Constable was entirely satisfied with the imagery. As they worked more together Lucas became totally attuned to Constable's ideas. The final compositions reveal a quite extraordinary sensitivity of light and atmospheric tone. They are amongst the greatest collaboration prints ever made, and superlative examples of the use of mezzotint as a creative medium.

The finest impressions from the plates in the English Landscape Scenery series are the proofs before lettering, that is with the compositions completed but before any retouching and before the printing of the issued edition (with the titles on the plates), which started to wear down the finest nuances and brilliance of the tone work.