瑪麗·弗里爾
1809
Most people know John Constable for his sweeping landscapes, but here he's playing matchmaker with a paintbrush. Painted in 1809, this portrait of Mary Freer was essentially a job application for her hand in marriage; Constable hoped to impress her wealthy farmer father by capturing her rosy cheeks and direct gaze against a moody background. Spoiler alert: the courtship didn't work out, and Constable eventually married Maria Bicknell years later, but this piece remains a charming glimpse into his early romantic struggles.
- Technique
- Oil paint
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