John Constable A Kingdom of His Own Author:Anthony Bailey Born in 1776, John Constable was destined for his father's milling business, but he was obdurately opposed to this and persuaded his family he should become an artist. In the same determined spirit, he persisted in painting landscapes at a time when history paintings and portraits were the fashion. Today, Constable's reputation is on the ... more »rise once again, as witnessed by the exhibitions of his most famous paintings at the Tate, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, and the Huntington Gallery in California. Anthony Bailey's important book explores Constable's life and work, highlighting throughout the dramatic tension between the two.« less