Hay Wain exhibition draws 11,000 visitors in eight weeks
More than 11,000 tickets have been booked for The Hay Wain: Walking Constable's Landscape at Christchurch Mansion since it opened on 11 July, with the exhibition closing on Sunday, 4 October.
Why it matters: The exhibition has become one of the most popular and acclaimed ever held at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, with Ipswich Borough Council now urging residents and visitors who have not yet seen it to do so before it closes.
The details: Tickets booked for the exhibition in its first eight weeks reached 11,219, contributing to an overall total of 15,217 visits to the Mansion over the period.
At the heart of the exhibition is John Constable's most famous painting, The Hay Wain (1821), making its first-ever visit to Suffolk – the county whose landscape inspired the masterpiece.
Visitors can also see an exceptional collection of loans from the National Gallery, Tate, Victoria & Albert Museum, Royal Academy and National Galleries of Scotland, displayed alongside treasures from Ipswich Museums' own Constable collection.
For context: The exhibition forms part of the council's year-long Constable 250 celebrations, marking the 250th anniversary of the artist's birth and exploring the landscapes, places and people that inspired some of Britain's most celebrated paintings.
Alongside the historic paintings, visitors can also experience Constable Ambisonic, an immersive sound installation featuring contemporary recordings from locations depicted in Constable's landscapes.
What they're saying: Councillor Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council's portfolio holder for planning and museums, said: "This is the first time this iconic painting has been displayed in Constable's home county of Suffolk. It's wonderful that we have it in Ipswich, and great to see how visitors have loved the whole exhibition.
"I urge everyone to get to Christchurch Mansion before the exhibition ends on 4 October. As always, huge thanks to the brilliant Museums team who have procured The Hay Wain and other works and created a nationally important exhibition for us all to enjoy."
What's next: The Hay Wain: Walking Constable's Landscape closes at Christchurch Mansion on Sunday, 4 October. Tickets and visitor information are available via Ipswich Museums.
The bottom line: With eight weeks left before the exhibition closes, there is still time for residents and visitors to see The Hay Wain on its historic first visit back to Suffolk.
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