A SERIES of early sketches by world renowned artist John Constable are set to go on display after a museum bought them at auction.
The four artworks include a landscape painted when Constable was aged just 17 and is among his earliest surviving works.
There are also two portraits, one of which is a work in pencil of his brother, Abram.
The new artworks were found in an album containing watercolours, drawings, poems and extensive texts, ranging from jokes and ditties to comments on contemporary events. Items date from the 1790s to 1862.
It is believed to have been compiled by the Mason family, who were related to the Constables through a marriage between the two families in 1792.
They lived in Colchester and had strong ties with Golding and Ann Constable’s children, including John and Abram.
The album came up for sale at Sotheby’s Old Master and British Works on Paper sale and sold for £24,000.
The works were acquired by Ipswich Museums after the organisation generated funding.
A special exhibition will be curated at Christchurch Mansion this year to mark the 200th anniversary of Constable’s The Hay Wain and the death of George Frost, who was an early mentor of Constable.
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Emma Roodhouse, collections and learning curator, has been working on the Creating Constable project for Ipswich Museums.
She said: “This album will provide an opportunity for further research into the family and will be a prominent feature in the new exhibition.”
Julia Brettell, national programmes lead at the Victoria and Albert Museum, said: “The Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund is delighted to be able to support Ipswich Museum’s acquisition of the Mason family album.
“The museum is undoubtedly the best home for this album.”
Landscapes by Constable have fetched millions of pounds.
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