The Ginger Jar 1926

Samuel Peploe painted "The Ginger Jar", a still life, during his time in Scotland. It shows a ginger jar surrounded by fruit and tableware arranged on a patterned cloth. Peploe was one of the Scottish Colourists, a group of painters who were deeply influenced by French Post-Impressionism. His work captures the energy of early 20th century European modernism. The Scottish Colourists’ project was to introduce avant-garde painting to a culture that was at the time dominated by conservative tastes and institutions. The choice of a ginger jar as a subject also brings up questions around international trade, cultural exchange, and the ways that non-Western objects were viewed and consumed in Europe at this time. As art historians, our work involves tracing the network of social and institutional relations that shaped the production and reception of artworks like this, examining how individual artists engage with and sometimes challenge existing social norms. Through such work we try to understand the ever-changing social life of art.