John Constable: celebrating 250 years

2026 marks 250 years since the birth of Suffolk-born artist John Constable, and this exhibition joins a region-wide programme of celebrations, including a number of major shows at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich.

For The Minories, the anniversary carries particular weight. This gallery first opened to the public in 1958 with an exhibition of Constable's work, making him part of the building's history as a public art space from the very start.

Born in the south Suffolk village of East Bergholt, Constable went on to develop strong ties to Colchester - His second cousin Jane Anne Mason and her family lived at St Mary's House in the town, and Constable was a frequent visitor, sketching the Roman walls and the church nearby on numerous occasions. He stayed close to the Masons throughout his life, corresponding with Jane Anne for decades. She became Godmother to his youngest child, Lionel, in 1828, and when Jane Anne’s eldest daughter Jane Anne Inglis, known as ‘Miss Inglis’, showed a keen interest in art, she benefited from Constable’s guidance and access to his art collection.

This exhibition brings together work from the Victor Batte-Lay Foundation Collection (The Minories' permanent collection), alongside loaned works from Colchester and Ipswich Museums and Brandler Galleries, Brentwood.

This exhibition is in one of our upstairs galleries, which are accessed by stairs only.