Explore Constable portraits of his family and find out who supported him in East Anglia. Plus sculptures by Sasha Constable.
2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Suffolk born artist, John Constable (1776-1837), who would become one of the most important of all British painters. To commemorate his life and work Colchester + Ipswich Museums present Constable 250, a programme of exhibitions and activities at the heart of which will be three landmark exhibitions at Ipswich’s Christchurch Mansion.
Our first exhibition Constable: A Cast of Characters will introduce visitors to the people who inspired and supported the artist including works by Suffolk artists Thomas Gainsborough and George Frost and Johnny Dunthorne in the Colchester + Ipswich Museums collections. Alongside personal and public portraits by Constable we will be exploring the Regency period that Constable lived in, including family items and select pieces from our costume collections. It will also showcase new art created by Sasha Constable, international sculptor and a direct descendant of the artist himself.
Constable 250 is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to explore Constable’s art and legacy through 2026.
The loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund.
We are grateful for the generosity of the Friends of Ipswich Museums, Kerseys Solicitors, East Anglia Art Fund and Art Friends Suffolk in their support of the Constable 250 exhibition programme.
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Visitor information
Address
Christchurch Park, Soane Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2BE
01473 433554
Opening times
Tue – Sat 10.00am – 4.00pm (November – February) 10.00am – 5.00pm (March – October) Sun 11.00am – 4.00pm (November – February) 11.00am – 5.00pm (March – October) Mon closed
