Iona Study 1929

This is Samuel Peploe's "Iona Study," and it seems like he made it on the spot, maybe even balancing his canvas on his knee. Look at how the paint is laid down in these juicy, fat strokes, capturing the light dancing on the water. It’s like each brushstroke is a little fact, a record of a moment in time, all adding up to a bigger picture. The texture is so present. You can almost feel the wind and the dampness of the sea air. I’m drawn to the lower right corner, where the strokes of white and green collide. It’s not just about depicting grass; it's about the pure joy of putting paint on a surface. The way Peploe builds up the layers reminds me a bit of Courbet, but with a lighter, more playful touch. Ultimately, "Iona Study" is an invitation to see the world with fresh eyes, to find beauty in the everyday, and to revel in the messy, unpredictable process of artmaking.