Ben More from Iona 1924

"Ben More from Iona" was painted by Samuel Peploe with oils onto canvas, and what strikes me first are those delicious brushstrokes of blue and lavender, dancing across the rocks like fleeting thoughts. I can almost feel the brisk sea air and hear the distant cries of seabirds. I imagine Peploe, squinting slightly, trying to capture the essence of this rugged Scottish landscape. He’s laying down those cool blues and whites with a confidence that comes from years of studying light and form. Look at the way he defines the shadows with such clarity, those angular strokes creating a sense of depth and solidity. It’s like he's chiseling the landscape directly onto the canvas. And the mountain in the background, that soft, hazy purple, it’s like a dream. Peploe was part of a generation of artists who were pushing the boundaries of representation. He was in conversation with the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists but forging his own path, seeking a uniquely Scottish vision.