Directed by David Bickerstaff
HD video | 16:9 | 131 min

Two of Britain’s greatest painters, J.M.W. Turner and John Constable were also the greatest of rivals. Born within a year of each other, both used landscape painting to reflect the changing world around them. Now, these two greats are reuniting. Tate Britain is bringing these two greats together for a groundbreaking exhibition. Turner’s blazing sunsets and sublime scenes from his travels and Constable’s idealised depictions of beloved places from home whipped the public of the time into a frenzy of enthusiasm. Constable represents the very best of the old school of realism and pastoral nostalgia - Turner, an exciting new way of depicting emotion and dreamlike impressions. Critics compared their starkly different styles to a clash of ‘fire and water’.

Music by Asa Bennett
Written by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky
Post-production - Storm Postproduction

Poetry read by Robert Lindsay

With contributions by
Amy Concannon - Manton Senior Curator, Historic British Art, Tate Britain
Lachlan Goudie - Artist, Writer and Broadcaster
Nicola Moorby - Curator, British Art 1790-1850 Tate Britain
Richard Johns - Art Historian, University of York