Roses in a Chinese Vase 1923

Here is the audio guide script: Samuel Peploe made this still life, Roses in a Chinese Vase, with oil paint on canvas. Look at these roses! They’re built up with these energetic, almost choppy brushstrokes of pink and cream. The petals are barely roses, but they’re so full of life. I can imagine Peploe in front of his subject, trying to capture the essence of these flowers in a vase. He's working fast, trying to get the light and color just right. I love the way he uses a limited palette to suggest the form and texture of the objects. See how the strokes that define the roses echo the blues of the vase, which echo the curtain in the background? The paint isn't too thick, but it's applied in a way that feels deliberate and expressive, like he's thinking about Cezanne, who was also thinking about still lives. That one rose, a vivid pop of saturated colour, pulls all our attention. That quick, intuitive brushstroke, it’s like he’s sharing a secret with us. It’s a way of seeing and feeling the world that's all his own, and now it's ours. It’s a conversation that continues through time, inspiring us to see the world anew.