Hadleigh Castle - after John Constable

Alfred J. Skrimshire

A high-contrast, monochromatic interpretation of John Constable's 1829 oil painting, "Hadleigh Castle, the Mouth of the Thames - Morning After a Stormy Night." Skrimshire's reproductive mezzotint employs a strong chiaroscuro tonality to give the viewer an idea of Constable's sweeping, atmospheric work without relying on color. In this way, Skrimshire is able to properly communicate the work's drama.

Hadleigh Castle refers to the ruins of a 14th century stronghold situated on the coast of Essex County, England, where the Thames estuary meets the North Sea. Due to the subsidence of the soft cloy soil upon which the fortress was built, it has continued to deteriorate beyond what is depicted in the oil painting and the mezzotint and is not protected and preserved by the English Heritage organization.