Early in his career, Peploe painted landscapes and figure studies, but it was in still life that he found his enduring voice. He arranged flowers, fruit, porcelain and draped fabrics with an eye for structure and contrast, building compositions through confident brushwork and a mastery of light. His colour evolved from a restrained tonal range to a vivid, high-key palette after the First World War, reflecting his friendship and dialogue with fellow Colourists Francis Cadell, George Leslie Hunter and John Duncan Fergusson.
Peploe spent periods working in France, yet Edinburgh remained his base. Despite the commercial challenges of the interwar years, he exhibited regularly in Scotland and London, earning critical respect for his disciplined yet vibrant canvases. Today, his work is celebrated for its synthesis of continental modernism with a distinctly Scottish sensibility, his still lifes radiating a clarity and poise that transcend their subject matter.
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Dish with apples, ginger jar, brown crock, bottle, and chair
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
The Coffee Pot
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still Life with Tulips
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
The Black Bottle
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Flowers and Fruit
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still life with roses and fruit
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still Life, Apples and Pink Roses
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Ranunculus
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Red and pink roses, oranges and fan
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still Life with Tulips
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Black bottle, napkin and green apples
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Roses in a vase against an orange background
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still Life with Roses, yellow background
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still life with pink roses
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
White Roses
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
The Ginger Jar
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Fruit and Roses on a Table Top
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Roses and teacup
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Red and White Tulips
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Roses in a blue and white jar
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still Life of Summer Flowers in a Chinese Blue and White Vase
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still Life of Roses and Apples
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Tulips and a Coffee Pot
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still life with Vase and Books
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Girl in White
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Boats in Port
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still-life with pink roses and an open book
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Melon and Pears
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Pewter Jug and Pears
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Roses and Fruit
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still-life with rose and teacup
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Paris Plage
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
White Sands, Iona
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Apples and Pewter Pot
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Figures in a Street, Montmartre
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
The Harbour, Cassis
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Still life with roses, apples and coffee pot
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Pink Roses in a Vase ( recto ); Still Life with Wine Glass and Fruit ( verso )
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Trees at Douglas Hall
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Pink rose in a glass vase with fruit
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Castle Douglas, Dumfriesshire
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Luxembourg Gardens - Paris
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Pink Roses in a Glass Vase
SAMUEL JOHN PEPLOE, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
Church at Cassis
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
The Mouth of the Harbour
Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A. (1871-1935)
The Pine Trees