Constable’s Clouds: The Artist Goes ‘Skying’ in His Own Backyard

Constable’s Clouds: The Artist Goes ‘Skying’ in His Own Backyard
“The White Horse,"1819, by John Constable. Oil on canvas; 51 3/4 inches by 74 1/8 inches. The Frick Collection. Public Domain
Yvonne Marcotte
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Cumulus, stratus, cirrus, nimbus.

Objects with these strange names affect our lives in many ways. Like a bucket overfilled with water, they pour out rain and snow; with the wind as their partner, they whip up tornadoes and hurricanes; in a pile of styles and sizes, they dress up a clear sky. Like a mother’s arms, they encircle the land with protection and love. We call them clouds.