Paris-Plage 1907

Samuel Peploe made this painting, Paris-Plage, with oils on canvas, and what strikes me is how he just dives right in. Look at how the paint is laid down – thick, juicy strokes of white, pink, and blue, barely mixed. It's like he's sculpting the scene, not just painting it. You can almost feel the energy of the beach, the way the light bounces off everything. The texture is so present, it makes you want to reach out and touch it. See that little dab of red right at the top, like a flag in the wind? That is such an unexpected touch, drawing your eye upward and creating a sense of depth. This kind of direct, unblended application reminds me of some of the Fauvist painters, like Derain, who were really pushing the boundaries of color and form. Both understood art as a conversation, an ongoing exploration, with room for many voices and viewpoints.