La vérité dans l'atmosphère: lire les ciels de Constable

Art historians have been extensively exploring Constable's skies. In this article I extend previous analyses to examine how Constable's notions of art, science and nature informed his understanding and treatment of clouds. The article begins with the ideas he espoused in his correspondence and lectures, proceeds with a critical reading of his notions of "understanding" and "atmosphere" in painting, and concludes with a compositional analysis of his clouds in a selection of his major works. I argue that Constable pursued a strategic and schematic approach in his placing of clouds in his paintings. I also suggest that his claims regarding the principles of "natural painture" stood in an ambiguous -sometimes even a contradictory- relationship with his actual representation of clouds, skies and atmospheres. This reading has particular relevance in assessing the meaning of his vocal opposition to mannerism, bravura and affect in landscape art.