A rare drawing by celebrated English landscape artist John Constable has sold for £71,740 (approximately $89,000) at auction, significantly exceeding expectations and highlighting the continued strong demand for the master's work. The black chalk and grey wash drawing of a farm, created in 1827, was being offered for sale for the very first time since its creation nearly 200 years ago.

The artwork, which depicts Valley Farm in the village of Flatford in Suffolk County, England, had been estimated to sell for between £20,000 and £30,000 but ultimately fetched more than double the high estimate. A buyer from the United Kingdom successfully acquired the piece through Roseberys Fine Art Auctioneers, a London-based auction house specializing in fine art.

Lara L'vov-Basirov, head of old master, British and European pictures at Roseberys, explained that the exceptional sale price reflected both the quality of the artwork and the rarity of Constable works appearing at auction. "Constable's works on paper rarely come to auction, and those with direct family provenance are even scarcer," she stated. "This result reflects both the quality of the drawing and the strength of demand for fresh material linked to the artist's personal circle."

The drawing holds special significance as it was originally given by Constable himself to his second son as a personal gift. The artist carefully inscribed "Flatford/13 Oct/1827" in the lower right corner of the work, documenting both the location and the exact date of its creation. The drawing shows the warden's house at Valley Farm, capturing the rural English countryside that Constable was famous for depicting throughout his career.

Following the death of Constable's son in 1878, the artwork remained within the family through direct descent until it reached the most recent owner, making this sale particularly noteworthy for art historians and collectors. The unbroken chain of family ownership for nearly 150 years added to the work's provenance and value.

John Constable was born in 1776 in East Bergholt, Suffolk, and became one of England's most celebrated landscape painters. He is best known for his romantic depictions of the English countryside, particularly scenes from the Dedham Vale area spanning Suffolk and Essex counties. His intimate knowledge of this region came from his family connections – his father owned Flatford Mill, which is located near where this drawing was created.

The location depicted in the sold drawing holds special significance in Constable's body of work, as it is near the setting of his most famous painting, "The Hay Wain." This masterpiece, along with many of his other celebrated works, drew inspiration from the same Suffolk countryside that he knew intimately from childhood. Constable continued to paint and draw scenes from this area throughout his career until his death in London in 1837 at the age of 60.

The successful sale demonstrates the enduring appeal of Constable's work and the premium that collectors place on pieces with strong provenance and family connections. The result also reflects the current strength of the art market for works by major British artists, particularly those depicting the English countryside that Constable helped define in the popular imagination.