Clouds and Sky, Iona 1928

Samuel Peploe made this painting of Clouds and Sky, probably with oil on canvas, and it's like he's caught a moment in time, a fleeting glance at the sky over Iona. Look at the way he's layered the paint, especially in the clouds. Thick strokes of white and blue, almost sculptural, giving the clouds a real sense of weight and volume. It's not about perfect representation; it's about capturing the feeling of the sky, the way light moves and shifts. I find myself focusing on a patch of turquoise, how it cuts through the browns and whites. It's a bold move, and it makes the whole painting sing. This reminds me of Constable, who knew a thing or two about clouds himself. But Peploe has a different energy, a more direct, almost impatient way of working. Like he couldn't wait to get the paint down and capture the essence of what he saw. And in that urgency, there’s something really exciting.