There’s a bit of Kane and Abel in the Tate Britain at the moment, as they pitch two friends turned rivals – Constable and Turner – together in a single exhibition.
Born within a year of each other, but to very different families, the two set out to become artists, but on different paths that eventually led to rivalry in the art galleries of London.
Critics of the time pitted the two against each other, comparing Constable’s truth to Turner’s poetry. Despite their differences, both were groundbreaking artists focusing on landscape painting long before it was fashionable.
The exhibition at Tate Britain opens with the two of them facing each other across two of their greatest paintings, and that sets the stage for how they were often seen in life – side by side in galleries, if not always in friendship.
Let’s not get too carried away – they were at times openly hostile to each other in life, but a lot of it was media and critical invention, because it helped to sell the paintings.
However, with around 170 paintings to see, this is almost too much, a surfeit of oil and watercolour by two masters of the art, and it almost blurs into a whirlwind of landscapes.
From small sketchbook scribblings to domestic-sized paintings, and later the huge six-foot paintings that were all the rage at the time, and an essential tool of any painter who wanted to be a success.
It was the six-footers that were to trigger the animosity between the two, and in 1831, Constable deliberately arranged to have his painting of Salisbury Cathedral placed next to Turner’s version, and in a more prominent position.
And of course, the critics loved the battle, if as it turns out, not the painting themselves.
Both paintings are in the exhibition, but this time in separate rooms.
They both painted depictions of Waterloo Bridge, Turner all moody and atmospheric, while Constable was more draughtsmanship-like. The exhibition puts them not quite side by side, but close enough that you can almost stand back and compare the two if you want to.
In a way though, that’s part of the failing and success of the exhibition – if you’re pitching the two together, more of the paintings should be together. Then again, few of their works overlapped so neatly, which begs the question as to why they were so often compared with each other.
And again at Tate Britain.
It’s an exhibition that teaches a bit more about the two artists, but is really room after room of paintings by two artists rarely seen in one place, and you can slightly see it as two exhibitions for the price of one.
The exhibition, Turner & Constable Rivals & Originals, is at Tate Britain until 12th April 2026.
Standard Ticket: £24
Student / Disabled: £22
Child (12-18): £5
Under 12s – Valid With Adult Ticket Holders Only: Free
Universal or Pension Credit: £5
National Art Pass: £12
Members: Free
Best to book tickets in advance, as it’s quite busy.
Details here.