The hay cart

The painting shows a hay cart in the english countryside crossing a stream in the immediate vicinity of the flatford mill, owned by the artist's father in suffolk. In the foreground, two figures leading an old empty and dilapidated hay cart pulled by two horses cross the river. It seems to be caught in an area of standing water. We notice the rendering of the climate and the atmosphere. The imposing sky with its clouds, in particular, is obvious, although the human figure does not lack character even if it places it in the background. The presence of a dog shows constable's interest in details. In the background, there are vast fields of hay. A warm light bathes the entire composition. As the stour forms the border between two counties, the painting depicts lott willy's cottage in suffolk on the left bank and the landscape of essex on the right bank. The house on the left belonged to a neighbor, a farmer named willy lott, known to have been born in this house and never to have left it for more than four days during his life. Lott willy's cottage has survived virtually intact to the present day, but none of the trees visible in the painting survive. The water level is also higher, as this area of east anglia has sunk 30cm into the sea since constable's time.

Ref. : XEVCBZB9