Trees, Antibes - Samuel Peploe

A striking Post-Impressionist study of trees in Antibes by Scottish Colourist Samuel Peploe, featuring bold brushwork and a cool, Mediterranean-inspired palette.

Samuel Peploe, a member of the Scottish Colourists, produced this work during his travels to the south of France. The painting captures the distinct light and atmosphere of Antibes, a location that drew many artists seeking to explore the effects of Mediterranean sun on natural forms. Peploe employs a structured approach to composition, using the dark, rhythmic trunks of the trees to create a sense of depth against the bright, simplified background.

The application of paint is deliberate and confident. Peploe uses short, directional brushstrokes to define the foliage and the play of light across the ground. His palette relies on a contrast between deep, cool shadows and lighter, silvery tones, which effectively mimics the shimmering quality of light filtering through branches. The sky is rendered in a flat, intense blue, which pushes the trees forward and creates a clear separation between the foreground and the distant horizon.

Unlike his earlier, more tonal works, this piece demonstrates the influence of French modernism on his practice. The focus is on the arrangement of colour and form rather than a literal transcription of the scene. The trees are treated as sculptural elements, their forms simplified to emphasise their mass and the negative space between them. This work reflects the artist's interest in the structural qualities of the French countryside, a subject he returned to repeatedly during his later career. The result is a balanced, rhythmic composition that prioritises the physical presence of paint on the canvas while maintaining a clear connection to the observed environment.