Flailing Turnip-heads, East Bergholt

c. 1812–15

Constable often painted farm laborers working in the countryside. Here, his father’s tenants are shown beating turnip heads to collect their oil-rich seeds, which were used to feed livestock. In the foreground, workers thresh and sift the seeds over a blanket, while other figures on the right burn the leftover flowers, stems, and leaves.

Medium	oil on canvas
Dimensions	14 x 17 1/2 in. (35.6 x 44.5 cm)
Object Number	2007.8.25
Acquisition	Gift of the Manton Art Foundation in memory of Sir Edwin and Lady Manton, 2007
Status	On View

Image Caption

John Constable, Flailing Turnip-heads, East Bergholt, c. 1812–15, oil on canvas. Clark Art Institute, gift of the Manton Art Foundation in memory of Sir Edwin and Lady Manton, 2007.8.25

Select Bibliography

Reynolds, Graham. The Early Paintings and Drawings of John Constable. 2 vol. New Haven and London: Yale University Press. 1996. Reynolds, Graham, Charles Rhyne, and Julius Meier-Graefe. John Constable, R.A. (1776-1837): Paintings, Drawings, Watercolours, Mezzotints. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Salander-O'Reilly Galleries, 1988. Parris, Leslie and Ian Fleming-Williams. John Constable. Exhibition catalogue. London: Tate Publishing, 1991. Pionk, Richard C. and Margaret Somers. Constable. Salmagundi Club, October 14 - November 2, 2000. New York, Salmagundi Club. 2000. Grand Palais. Constable: Le Choix de Lecian Freud. Galeries nationales du grand palais, Paris, October 7, 2002-January 13, 2003. Paris : Réunion des musées nationaux. 2002. Fleming-Williams, Ian. "Review of 1988 John Constable Exhibit." Burlington Magazine. v. 130, no. 1025. 08/1988:654. Parris, Leslie. "Images of Constable." The Antique Collector. v. 62, no. 6. 06/1991:88-93. Posnett, David, introd. Leger: A Century of Art Dealing, 1892-1992. London: The Leger Galleries, 1992. Parris, Leslie. Constable: A New York Private Collection. New York: Published Privately, 1994. Parris, Leslie. Constable: Pictures from the Exhibition. London: Tate Publishing. 1991. . "'£200 Painting' is a Constable". 02/28/1986. Clarke, Jay, ed. Landscape, Innovation, and Nostalgia: The Manton Collection of British Art. Williamstown, MA: The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 2012. Lees, Sarah, ed. Nineteenth-Century European Paintings at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Williamstown, MA: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute; New Haven and London: distributed by Yale University Press, 2012.

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Provenance

Mr. Carpenter;¹ private collection; sale, Sotheby’s, London, 12 Mar. 1986, no. 96, sold to Leger Galleries; [Leger Galleries, London, sold to Manton, 9 June 1986]; Sir Edwin A. G. Manton, New York (1986–d. 2005); Manton Family Art Foundation (2005–7, given to the Clark); Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 2007. 1. An inscription on the back of the stretcher reads “Mr. Carpenters Collection.” It is unclear whether this refers to James Carpenter or his son William Hookham Carpenter. Both Carpenters were friends of Constable and collected his work.