"There's a bit of Kane and Abel in the Tate Britain at the moment, as they pitch two friends turned rivals - Constable and Turner - together in a single exhibition. Born within a year of each other, but to very different families, the two set out to become artists, but on different paths that eventually led to rivalry in the art galleries of London. Critics of the time pitted the two against each other, comparing Constable's truth to Turner's poetry."
"Despite their differences, both were groundbreaking artists focusing on landscape painting long before it was fashionable. The exhibition at Tate Britain opens with the two of them facing each other across two of their greatest paintings, and that sets the stage for how they were often seen in life - side by side in galleries, if not always in friendship."
"However, with around 170 paintings to see, this is almost too much, a surfeit of oil and watercolour by two masters of the art, and it almost blurs into a whirlwind of landscapes. From small sketchbook scribblings to domestic-sized paintings, and later the huge six-foot paintings that were all the rage at the time, and an essential tool of any painter who wanted to be a success."
Constable and Turner were born within a year of each other to different families and pursued distinct artistic paths that led to rivalry in London galleries. Critics contrasted Constable's commitment to truth with Turner's poetic, atmospheric approach. Both pioneered landscape painting well before it became fashionable. A Tate Britain exhibition juxtaposes about 170 oils and watercolours spanning small sketches, domestic works, and large six-foot canvases that defined artistic success. The six-foot paintings intensified tensions, exemplified when Constable positioned his Salisbury Cathedral next to Turner's. Critics amplified the perceived battle because rival narratives sold paintings. The show presents both artists' depictions of Waterloo Bridge in nearby rooms.
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