The Conjurer of the Sublime vs. The Cloud Architect: Turner and Constable at Tate Britain shows off a good old fashioned rivalry which is utterly spell-binding

Annabel Sampson | tatler | 28th November 2025

Turner v Constable is one of art’s great rivalries. During their lifetimes that rivalry had a personal edge – the mercurial, Turner versus the “doggedly local” Constable. Turner’s scenes of turbulent weather sometimes verge on abstraction while Constable was able to show the “transcendent ordinariness” of the British landscape. So, who comes out ahead? This writer chooses Turner as the “out and out winner of this painterly race”. Strong cases for Constable are mounted here and here. The debate continues.