Tulips and Fruit 1919

Samuel Peploe made this oil on canvas painting of tulips and fruit with simple strokes, a great way to create form and depth. The colours are intense; it’s a vivid explosion of blues, reds, greens, and yellows. Peploe’s touch is so light, the brushstrokes are laid down with a sense of freedom and spontaneity. I am drawn to the way Peploe renders the petals of the tulips. Each petal is suggested with a single, confident brushstroke, capturing the essence of the flower with incredible economy. The thick paint creates a tactile quality that invites you to reach out and touch the canvas. The way he describes the vase using these marks is what I find most interesting. Like Matisse, Peploe really understands how to distill the essence of a form with simple means. It’s a testament to the power of art as an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time.