John Constable's working relationship with David Lucas on the 'English Landscape' series

Abstract

This paper examines the partnership between the engraver David Lucas (1802–81) and the painter and draughtsman John Constable (1776–1837) in the creation of the mezzotint print series English Landscape. It outlines what is known about their working methods and Constable’s treatment of Lucas in times of dissatisfaction with his work. The problems and gaps in existing scholarship and the methodology here used for analysing A Mill, one of the prints from the series, is discussed, describing its development in light of Constable’s requested changes. The conclusion asserts that Lucas’s contribution to developing the image was more significant than previously recognized.