Summer New Abbey 

Samuel Peploe likely created this landscape, “Summer, New Abbey,” with oil paint on canvas, sometime in the early 20th century. The visible brushstrokes give us a real sense of Peploe’s engagement with the materials. We can see how he applied the paint, thick and expressive, building up layers to capture the light and form of the landscape. The texture isn't just visual, it's tactile, suggesting the physical act of painting. Oil paint was, by this time, a readily available industrial product, yet Peploe uses it in a way that emphasizes individual expression. This tension is interesting; a mass-produced material, deployed to create a seemingly spontaneous impression of nature. While Peploe certainly wasn't alone in adopting this method, the way in which he did so is an interesting case study of the traditions of fine art as well as the influence of modern production on these traditions.