Constable first visited Brighton in May 1824, when he took his wife there for the sake of her health. They took lodgings in Western Place on the edge of the town, near the sea. To begin with he was critical of Brighton, describing it as ‘Picadilly by the sea side’. However – despite the social aspect, which he tried to ignore – he found new inspiration there and created a number of oil sketches that reflect his enthusiastic response to the moods of the sky and the effects of light on the sea. Rainstorm over the sea c. 1824–28, a spectacular oil sketch that looks directly out to sea, is one of the most remarkable open-air sketches Constable painted during his visits to Brighton. He captured the fleeting effect of a rainstorm at sea, with thunderous black clouds surrounding a shaft of sunlight, which breaks through the clouds on the left to light up the horizon. The scale of the tiny boats visible in the distance emphasises the awesome nature of this storm. Dynamic, vertical torrents of rain have been painted quickly and energetically, capturing the transient nature of this weather event. It is possible that Constable’s anxiety about his wife’s health inspired the darkness of this image, with its impending storm and drama. To create these oil sketches Constable sat within the landscape and painted directly on paper in the lid of his painting box, which was resting on his knees. Activity • Using soft pencil or charcoal, make your own impression of a stormy sky from nature.