Dish with Apples 1918

Samuel Peploe made this still life, Dish with Apples, with what looks like oil on canvas, using a bright but limited palette. The painting feels very direct and intuitive; you can almost feel Peploe making decisions about where the blocks of color should go. The textures in the painting are lovely - the smooth curves of the apples contrasting with the angular folds of the blue and white cloth. Look at how he defines the shapes with these firm dark outlines. It's interesting how the blue from the cloth reappears in the background, tying the composition together. I love the way he renders the light reflecting off of the pottery; it really gives the whole composition a feeling of warmth and domesticity. Peploe’s work reminds me a little of Cezanne; both artists are concerned with reducing forms to their most essential shapes. But while Cezanne seems to struggle to contain the volume within a form, Peploe is content to flatten the image with simple, pure colour. It's like they are in conversation across time.