Tulips 1925

Samuel Peploe’s ‘Tulips’ is a painting of everyday beauty rendered with an honesty to the medium of oil paint. He wasn't trying to hide his process. The painting has a wonderful materiality, Peploe builds the image with thick brushstrokes of contrasting colours. He allows different colours to sit next to each other on the surface of the canvas, creating depth and luminosity through the interaction of the hues. Just look at the base of the vase, see how the violet table top bleeds into the clear glass with strokes of white and blue that suggest light and reflection. You can really feel the hand of the artist here. The more you look, the more you see these tulips are not just about the subject matter, but also about the act of painting itself. It reminds me a little of Morandi’s still lifes; art that focuses on quiet observation and simple pleasures through a language of paint. For Peploe, as for all artists, the conversation with paint is ongoing.