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Sky study with a shaft of sunlight: PD.222-1961

An image of Painting
View image details Mirador icon - view image Mirador deep zoom IIIF Manifest IIIF Manifest Slow looking

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Alternative views

An image of Painting
An image of Painting
Current Location: In storage

Titles

Sky study with a shaft of sunlight

Maker(s)

Painter: Constable, John

Entities

Categories

Notes

History note: Probably coll. Mrs Ella Mackinnon; bt. Henry Newson-Smith, about 1890, probably from Leggatt's Gallery, London; inherited by his son, Sir Frank Newson-Smith, Bart., 1898, his sale Christie's, 26 January 1951, lot 21 (with two others on one mount), bt. Agnew; bt. from Thomas Agnew & Sons Ltd, London, by J.E. Bullard, 1951

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1961) by Bullard, John Eric

Dating

1820s
Production date: ? AD 1822 : Studies consisting of clouds only, date mainly from 1822.

School or Style

British

Materials used in production

Oil paint

Components of the work

Support composed of paper
Frame Depth 5 cm Height 31 cm Width 33.6 cm
Paper Height 13.3 cm Width 14.9 cm

Techniques used in production

Painting : Oil on paper

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: the 'B' in a circle

  • Text: 6 B
  • Location: Verso
  • Method of creation: Blue chalk

Inscription present: in a circle

  • Text: 20
  • Location: Verso
  • Method of creation: Graphite

Inscription present: Agnew's

  • Text: no. 14390, Bond Street
  • Location: Verso, on backing to frame
  • Method of creation: Printed label
  • Type: Label
  • Text: Study of clouds / by / John Constable, R.A.
  • Location: Verso, on backing to frame
  • Method of creation: Typed label
  • Type: Label

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: PD.222-1961
Primary reference Number: 830

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 15 October 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Sky study with a shaft of sunlight" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/830 Accessed: 2025-12-06 15:30:52

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/830 |title=Sky study with a shaft of sunlight |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-06 15:30:52|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Sky study with a shaft of sunlight</figcaption>
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