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.

The second exhibition this year will be The Hay Wain: Walking the Landscape with Constable brings unprecedented key loans from the National Gallery, Tate, V&A, Royal Academy, National Galleries of Scotland to Suffolk for the very first time to explore themes of landscape, place and walking.

Historic loans including Dedham Vale (1828, National Galleries of Scotland) will be seen alongside Colchester + Ipswich Museum’s own Constable collection, including the two most personal paintings from his childhood home, Golding Constable’s Flower Garden and Golding Constable’s Kitchen Garden (both 1815).

A highlight will be Constable’s iconic masterpiece, The Hay Wain (1821, The National Gallery) making its first ever visit to the county it depicts.

This exhibition will include Constable Ambisonic a sound artwork of field recordings from the locations of Constable’s most famous artworks today developed by artist Stuart Bowditch.

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.