Still Life, Teapot and Fruit 

Samuel Peploe made this oil painting, Still Life, Teapot and Fruit, sometime in the early 20th century. It shows a carefully arranged collection of objects, all sitting on a white cloth: a teapot, some fruit and a wine glass. Peploe was a Scottish artist, known for his still life and landscape paintings. This painting reflects the influence of French Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, movements that challenged the established art institutions of the time. Rejecting academic art, Peploe and other artists began to look at the world in new ways, focusing on the play of light and colour. They developed looser, more expressive brushstrokes, and explored new ways of representing depth and space. Looking at the painting, we can see how Peploe used colour and brushstroke to create a sense of movement and vitality. He was part of a generation that embraced the idea of art as a means of personal expression, rather than simply a representation of the world. To understand his art fully, one must consider the artistic debates of his time.