Landscape, Cassis, France - Samuel Peploe

This landscape by Samuel Peploe, a Scottish Colourist, captures the light and atmosphere of Cassis, France, with bold brushstrokes and harmonious colours. The painting exemplifies Peploe's modern approach to landscape art.

Samuel Peploe, a leading figure among the Scottish Colourists, painted this scene in Cassis, a port town in southern France. The Scottish Colourists, active in the early 20th century, were influenced by Post-Impressionism and Fauvism, movements that emphasised bold colour and simplified forms. Peploe, along with J.D. Fergusson, F.C.B. Cadell, and G.L. Hunter, sought to bring a modern, European sensibility to Scottish art. In this work, Peploe captures the light and atmosphere of the Mediterranean coast. The composition is structured by the strong verticality of the trees in the foreground, their trunks rendered in thick, expressive brushstrokes of blue and brown. The foliage and distant buildings are suggested with patches of green, pink, and orange, creating a sense of depth and luminosity. The painting's surface is animated by the visible brushwork, a hallmark of Peploe's style, which conveys a sense of immediacy and spontaneity. The overall effect is a harmonious balance between observation and painterly abstraction.