ArtsNational lecture with Sarah Cove

Next date: Saturday, 01 November 2025 | 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

LECTURE TITLE “My scrambling affair”: How Constable’s ‘Late Paintings’ changed the face of Modern Art

Would you recognise John Constable R.A.’s ‘late’ oil studies? Constable’s exuberant, almost abstract, brush and palette-knife work shocked audiences for a full 50 years before Impressionism. In fact, the handling is so avant-garde that it is impossible to tell what these paint strokes depict! Constable only sold 20 or so paintings in England during his lifetime, as their rough and ‘specky’ surfaces horrified audiences.

Sarah Cove ACR is an accredited painting conservator-restorer, technical art historian and lecturer with several decades of experience working on paintings for the heritage and private sectors. She is London and Falmouth based and is a specialist in British portraits, 19th-20th century British landscapes and oil sketches on paper and board.

Her presentations are lively and enthusiastic, as she is passionate about her work and research.