John Constable
John Constable spent about ten years working on this painting. He was at the gallery just before the exhibition, finishing some last minute details on this piece, when another famous artist, J.M.W. Turner, seeing the adjustments being made by his rival, added a raw red brushstroke to his painting. By this act he created an unlikely and amazing effect, that drew all the attention to his canvas. This was fatal to Constable. Even Thomas Stothard, his friend, said Waterloo Bridge was “very unfinished” in comparison.
This wasn't the first confrontation between the two. One year earlier, Constable had lobbied the exhibition committee to take down Turner’s painting, replacing it with one of his own. As unhealthy as it might seem, these mutual obsessions are a great fuel for excellence, pushing people beyond their normal boundaries. It compels more risky behaviours, gathers emotional resources and sacrifice: the competition needed to keep the level rising, aiming for perfection.
- Artur Dionisio
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