Samuel John Peploe, R.S.A.

There is a small split to the surface of the panel (approx 2cm) on the upper right edge. This seems to be an original feature of the panel. Otherwise in good condition. Ultraviolet light reveals the suggestion of minor scattered spots of retouching along the lower border. Held in a decorative gold composite frame with minor losses to the moulding.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

North Berwick, a small town situated north east along the coast from Edinburgh, boasts some of the most dramatic and beautiful landscape in the region, directly exposed to the elements looking across the Firth of Forth. The town, like St. Andrews to the north, is synonymous with the golf and has been visited for this reason as much for the natural beauty of the landscape since North Berwick Golf Club was founded in 1832.

Samuel John Peploe visited North Berwick for the first time in 1896 and again in 1903 when he also visited Comrie and Barra. The current picture is likely to date to the second trip in 1903 and bears stylistic similarity to a work entitled Barra executed in the same year and which is held in the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh. The dark palette and free brushwork in The Links at Dusk, North Berwick show all the formative qualities that Peploe was developing which led to some of his most spectacular early still lifes, such as The Black Bottle and Still Life with Coffee Pot both painted in 1905.