Samuel Peploe and the Scottish Colourists Peplo e Fergusson Cadell Fergusson

Samuel Peploe and the Scottish Colourists Samuel Peploe was a passionate and serious artist who devoted himself to his oil painting. He had a powerful influence on a wide circle of people, including many artists of the next generation. He was born in Edinburgh and educated at the Collegate School in Charlotte Square. He had good academic ability but no interest in the professions, preferring to walk, sail or sketch. By 1893 he had enrolled for classes at the Trustees Academy (the forerunner to Edinburgh School of Art). He then went to Paris at the Acad é mie Julian and later at the Acad é mie Colarossi.

Samuel Peploe and the Scottish Colourists He began a lifelong habit of taking painting trips to Northern France and the Western Isles and in particular IONA, accompanied by J D Fergusson whom he had met in Paris. Peploe first painted on the island of Iona in 1920 with fellow Scottish Colourist F.C.B. Cadell, and the two artists returned together most summers. Peploe was particularly fond of the rocky northern end of the island and its views towards Mull. Fascinated by the artistic possibilities of the island ’ s light and dramatic, changeable weather, Iona became a favourite motif for Peploe, as he painted it in all weathers and abandoned the warm colours of his still-lifes for a palette of cool greens and blues. While the island became a sanctuary for him,a world away from life in Edinburgh, its picture-postcard scenery also meant that his paintings were readily saleable.

Samuel Peploe and the Scottish Colourists He was successful in exhibiting his work and regularly submitted paintings to the Royal Scottish Academy, Royal Glasgow Institute and the Society of Scottish Artists. His first one-man show was held at the Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh in By 1906 his earlier still life and figure paintings, characterised by dark backgrounds, gave way to paler colours, greys and pinks. This was in part due to a move to a new lighter studio in the East end of Edinburgh at York Place, from his previous west-end base at Shandwick Place. His second exhibition in 1909 was successful but his eyes were turning to Paris and the next year, he moved to France with his new wife, Margaret MacKay, whom he had met on a painting trip to the Isle of Barra in For the next fifteen years Peploe retained a brilliant palette, evolving a mature style containing elements of Cezanne ’ s and Matisse ’ s paint technique. By the late 1920s he had reverted to a darker tonal style of painting,with some brilliant colour areas.

Samuel Peploe and the Scottish Colourists In 1933 he taught two terms at Edinburgh College of Art making quite an impact. Best known for his still life paintings of roses or tulips, Peploe had a wide range of subjects including figure and landscape painting. From 1914 he was a regular visitor to Dumfries and Galloway, particularly Kirkcudbright and also from 1919 onwards to the isle of IONA. On the recommendation of Cadell he visited Cassis in the South of France in 1924, and returned in 1928 and LINK