Cello belonging to artist John Constable to be played for first time in 100 years
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- Constable's personal cello, made in 1802 by neighbour John Dunthorne Sr, will be played in public for the first time in 100 years after a restoration that returned it to playing condition
- The instrument had been badly restored in 1926 and rendered unplayable; it entered the Ipswich Collection in 1942 and survived with all its original fittings, according to curator Emma Roodhouse
- The Friends of Ipswich Museum raised more than £4,000 to fund the work, which was carried out by Suffolk-based restorers James and Sylvie Fawcett
- Cellist Melanie Woodcock will play the instrument at a public event on 10 June, alongside readings by author Susan Owens from her new book on Constable
- The cello will then be displayed at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich from 17 June to 4 October as part of the Constable 250 festival marking 250 years since the artist's birth
- A page in one of Constable's sketchbooks bears a sketch of two musicians, including a cellist — possibly the artist himself with his instrument, art historians suggest
- Roodhouse said Dunthorne, a self-taught plumber-glazier-carpenter who also painted and made instruments, was 'pivotal' to Constable's early career and 'worthy of more than just a side note' in his story
Why it matters: The restored cello offers a rare tangible link to Constable beyond his paintings, while the £4,000 restoration and Constable 250 festival give curators a chance to elevate the under-told story of working-class neighbour Dunthorne, whose instrument-making skill and mentorship are only now being publicly recognised alongside the famous artist's bicentennial.
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