This autumn, Tate Britain will stage the first major exhibition to explore the intertwined careers and legacies of JMW Turner and John Constable, two of Britain’s most celebrated landscape painters. Born a year apart, Turner and Constable developed radically different approaches to landscape art, Turner was a commercially driven prodigy who travelled widely and experimented with light and atmosphere, while Constable, rooted in the Suffolk countryside, was devoted to direct observation and refining his oil painting techniques. Featuring over 170 works, the exhibition will highlight how their contrasting visions pushed each other to new artistic heights and redefined the landscape genre.

The show will trace their development from early sketches and watercolours to monumental late works, exploring how their distinct styles, Turner’s sublime, luminous scenes and Constable’s richly detailed, emotionally resonant views, captured the imagination of their time.

Their rivalry, often fueled by critics and even themselves, culminated in memorable moments such as their side-by-side display at the 1831 Royal Academy exhibition. The exhibition concludes with a film featuring contemporary artists reflecting on the pair’s enduring influence, reaffirming their place as transformative figures in the history of British art.

The exhibition will be on view at Tate Britain from 27th November 2025 and is one of the most expected exhibitions this Autumn in London.