Gypsy 1899

Samuel Peploe, a Scottish Colourist, painted this portrait titled 'Gypsy', sometime in the early 20th century. Peploe was part of a movement that found inspiration in the vibrant colors and expressive forms of Post-Impressionism and Fauvism. His interest here isn't really about accurately depicting a Roma woman, but more to experiment with color and form. The sitter's identity is subsumed beneath the stereotype, and the painting raises questions about how artists have historically represented marginalized communities. The subject's red flower and flushed cheeks add to the stereotype of the passionate, exotic "gypsy." By focusing on the sitter's perceived ethnicity rather than her individuality, Peploe's work reinforces existing cultural narratives and power dynamics. What do you think about how the art world in the early 20th century portrayed the identities of people from different cultures?