Boy Reading (The Artist's Son) 1903

Samuel Peploe made this painting of his son reading, using oils. Look at how the paint is applied – those confident strokes, like the ones defining the collar, are pretty juicy! You can almost feel the brush dancing across the canvas. It's a lovely reminder that paintings aren't just images, they are records of a process. The painting is mostly dark tones but the face jumps out with warm pinks. See how the ear is just a daub of pink? This makes the image feel immediate and alive. There's a real contrast with the dark background, it's a contrast that makes the simple act of reading feel kind of profound, like the boy is illuminated by the book. Peploe’s bold brushwork reminds me of Manet, who also captured the fleeting moments of everyday life with such painterly flair. This work is a great example of how painting can be about seeing and feeling, rather than just knowing.