Exhibition celebrating the 200th anniversary of John Constable's 'The Hay Wain' opens at Flatford

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A new exhibition to celebrate the 200th anniversary of John Constable's 'The Hay Wain' opens at Flatford this weekend.

Visitors to Flatford's Granary Barn will be able to step inside the painting as they walk through floating panels depicting the iconic scene.

Simon Peachey, Welcome Manager at Flatford said: "This has allowed visitors to get a fresh view of Flatford, its history and a better connection to one of our country's greatest artists."

The new exhibition called ‘Landscapes at Noon’ has been created by photographic artists Liz Harrington and Laurence Harding and opens tomorrow (Saturday 23 October).

'The Hay Wain' was painted in 1821 Credit: The National Gallery

The exhibition is part of a partnership between the National Trust and the Essex Cultural Diversity Project.

'The Hay Wain' was painted in 1821 by John Constable and depicts an idyllic countryside scene on the River Stour at Flatford in the Dedham Vale, now in the care of the National Trust.

The landscape was considered radical in its day, for its scale, colour palette, brushwork, and for its close attention to natural detail.

It is said to be one of the artist’s most celebrated works.