Still Life with Plaster Cast 1931

Samuel Peploe made this painting, Still Life with Plaster Cast, with oil on canvas. The brushstrokes are so loose here, almost like the painting is breathing. It’s not about perfection, but about the sheer joy of putting paint on canvas. Look at the way the light hits the plaster cast, how it's rendered with these short, choppy strokes of white and cream. It’s like Peploe is saying, "Here’s how I see this, in this moment." The way he plays with light and shadow gives the whole composition a kind of push-pull energy. Then your eye lands on that teapot, all inky and reflective. It's grounded, dark, and solid and offers a satisfying contrast to the ethereal quality of the plaster cast. It makes me think of Morandi, another painter who found endless fascination in the simple stuff around him. It's like they're both saying, "Hey, look closer. There's a whole world in these everyday objects if you just take the time to see it."