Berwick 1903

Samuel Peploe applied thick strokes of paint onto the canvas to conjure this landscape, somewhere called Berwick. I imagine him outside, squinting in the light. I’m sympathizing with Peploe here, picturing him trying to capture the scene’s essence with these quick, loaded brushstrokes. Look at the creamy whites and greens that make up the buildings, and the dark figures dotted in front of them. These forms feel solid despite their blurred edges. There's a sense of movement, a lively atmosphere created by these dabs and dashes. He probably loved applying the paint, working the surface. That smear of light blue at the top, for instance—it doesn't just represent the sky; it embodies the act of seeing, of feeling the air on your skin while standing en plein air. The Scottish Colourists come to mind. He was obviously looking at other painters, as all good painters do, and he was trying to create something unique. And isn’t that what art is all about? One great painter responding to another over time, inspiring us to see the world anew.