John Constable, The Lock
Oil on canvas, 139.7 by 122 cm.; 55 by 48 in.
John Constable (1776-1837)
The Lock (first version) (1824)
Sold in 2012
Constable’s The Lock sells for £9,1 million at Sotheby’s ‘The Lock’, one of John Constable’s most famous compositions sold for £9,109,000 / €12,562,266 / $13,699,025 at Sotheby’s London, 160 years after its last appearance on the market.]]>
December 10th, 2015, source: Sotheby’s
The monumental landscape depicting the countryside of the painter’s “careless boyhood” was the highlight of the Old Master & British Paintings Evening sale which featured a significant number of museum -quality works and totalled £ 22.6 million / € 31.2 million / $34 Million (est. £21.8 – 32.6 million)
Painted circa 1824-5 when Constable was at the height of his powers, “The Lock” is one of only three major works by Constable left in private hands. This iconic image is the fifth in the series of six monumental landscapes popularly known as the artist’s ‘Six-Footers’, which for many define the pinnacle of Constable’s career. Depicting a bucolic scene on the River Stour in the artist’s native Suffolk, and painted in response to the huge critical acclaim that greeted Constable’s first treatment of the composition (exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1824 ), the picture was treasured by the artist. Retained by him in his studio until the end of his life, singled out by him for prestigious exhibitions , it was chosen as the basis for the engraving that was to make it among the most familiar and celebrated images in the canon of British art.
First version of “The Lock”
On July 3, 2012, the first version of ‘The Lock’ -coming from the collection of Baroness Carmen Thyssen Bornemisza- sold for £22,4 million at Christie’s Old Masters and British sale. The £22,4 million was a record for a work by John Constable. However, taken in consideration the importance of the painting, the price can be considered a bargain.
Related content
Constable’s ‘The Lock’ leads Christie’s auction (news, 2012)
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