Accompanied by his family and by Francis Cadell, Peploe visited the south of France in the summer of 1924. The paintings he produced at this time are quite close in style to those of Paul Cézanne - with short, even brushstrokes used to build up the scene. In this landscape Peploe has used the repetition of the red rooftops to lead the eye into the painting, creating a sense of depth.
Samuel John Peploe (Scottish, 1871 - 1935)
Peploe is one of the group of four artists known as the 'Scottish Colourists.' Born in Edinburgh, he studied art in Paris and lived there from 1910 to 1912. It was through painting holidays in Northern France that he was introduced to the use of bold colour, inspired by the bright sunlight. He later experienced the same intensity of light while painting on the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. French painting proved to be a powerful influence for Peploe throughout his life. Although his work never became abstract, it was characterised by tight composition, strong colour and assured handling.
