Britain’s Greatest Landscape Rivals Face Off in Tate Britain’s Blockbuster Exhibition This November

Turner and Constable finally get the showdown they deserve in this autumn’s most anticipated art exhibition

Art lovers, mark your calendars. From 27 November 2025 through 12 April 2026, Tate Britain will host what promises to be one of the most compelling exhibitions in recent memory: “Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals.” This groundbreaking show marks the first major exhibition to explore the fascinating relationship between Britain’s two most celebrated landscape painters, JMW Turner and John Constable.

A Tale of Two Artists

Born just one year apart—Turner in 1775 in London’s bustling streets and Constable in 1776 in the Suffolk countryside—these artistic giants couldn’t have been more different in personality and approach, yet both revolutionized landscape painting in ways that still influence artists today.

The exhibition unfolds like a compelling biography, beginning with their contrasting origins. Turner emerged as a commercial prodigy, exhibiting at the Royal Academy at just 15 years old and creating ambitious works like the recently discovered The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St. Vincent’s Rock, Bristol before his 18th birthday. Meanwhile, the largely self-taught Constable took a more methodical approach, spending years perfecting his technique through sketching tours that produced gems like Bow Fell, Cumberland (1807) before making his Royal Academy debut in 1802.

Masterpieces Return Home

The exhibition’s crown jewels include some truly spectacular loans that London hasn’t seen in decades—or in some cases, over a century. Turner’s monumental The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons (1835) makes a triumphant return from Cleveland Museum of Art, having been absent from British shores for more than 100 years. Equally exciting is Constable’s The White Horse (1819), on loan from The Frick Collection in New York, which hasn’t graced a London exhibition in two decades.

These masterpieces will be joined by over 170 paintings and works on paper, creating the most comprehensive comparison of the two artists ever assembled.

Fire Meets Water

What makes this exhibition particularly fascinating is how it explores the deliberate rivalry between the artists. By the 1830s, critics and the artists themselves played up their differences. The legendary moment came in 1831 when Constable strategically placed his work alongside Turner’s at the Royal Academy exhibition. His atmospheric Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows hung next to Turner’s sun-soaked Caligula’s Palace and Bridge, prompting critics to declare them “fire and water.”

This contrast perfectly encapsulates their different approaches: Turner’s wanderlust took him across Britain and Europe, filling sketchbooks with studies that inspired sublime Alpine scenes and his revolutionary handling of light and paint. Constable, by contrast, found endless inspiration in his Suffolk homeland, sketching en plein air in Dedham Vale and along the River Stour with such dedication that visitors will see his actual painting box and sketching chair on display.

Revolutionary Techniques on Display

The exhibition brilliantly showcases their technical innovations. Constable’s famous cloud studies will be brought together, demonstrating his belief that “the sky is the key note” to a painting’s emotional impact. These studies underpinned the powerful skyscapes in his monumental six-foot canvases and influenced works like Hampstead Heath with a Rainbow (1836).

Turner’s sections will feature his groundbreaking approaches to depicting light and atmosphere, including rarely seen late works such as Ancient Italy – Ovid Banished from Rome (1838), which hasn’t been exhibited in London for over 50 years.

Contemporary Relevance

The exhibition concludes with a specially commissioned film featuring contemporary British artists Frank Bowling, Bridget Riley, George Shaw, and Emma Stibbon reflecting on Turner and Constable’s enduring influence. It’s a fitting reminder that their innovations continue to inspire artists today.

Planning Your Visit

Running from late November through mid-April, this exhibition arrives perfectly timed for the 250th anniversary years of both artists’ births. Given the caliber of works on display and the rarity of seeing many of these pieces in London, advance booking is strongly recommended.

“Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals” promises to be more than just an art exhibition—it’s a chance to witness how two very different visions of the British landscape changed art history forever. Whether you’re drawn to Turner’s dramatic, light-filled canvases or Constable’s intimate, precisely observed countryside scenes, this show demonstrates why both artists remain essential to understanding British art.

Turner and Constable: Rivals and Originals runs at Tate Britain from 27 November 2025 to 12 April 2026. For tickets and more information, visit tate.org.uk

Here are some of the highlights of the exhibition: