Is There an Error in this Painting?

This painting is titled Wivenhoe Park, Essex by John Constable. It was painted in 1816 for Major General Francis Slater Rebow. Can you see anything unusual about the picture? Minnesotastan noticed it.

I first saw this painting about 30 years ago in a print that was on the wall of the office of a colleague of mine at the University of Kentucky.  After looking at the painting for a while, I initially concluded that the artist (world famous for his landscape portrayals) must have made an error in depicting the scene.  Nobody else seemed interested in the apparent anomaly, and I lost track of the painting (not knowing its title) until I encountered it again this past week.

I invite you to explore the image (it should enlarge to wallpaper size with a click) to see if you find anything that appears internally inconsistent in the content.

Whether you find it or not, you'll be interested in the explanation at TYWKIWDBI. Minnesotastan tells us where the anomaly is, and then looks into the background of how the painting was constructed to reconcile what we see with what Constable had to work with 200 years ago.   


Newest 5
Newest 5 Comments

Easy. Put the cleaned carp on a redwood board and cover it with onions, lemon, salt and pepper. Prop up the board facing an open fire and cook for about 12 minutes. Turn the carp for another 7 minutes. Then throw away the carp and eat the board.
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Email This Post to a Friend
"Is There an Error in this Painting?"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More