The Blue Envelope

c. 1890s

John Frederick Peto

Associated Names
John Frederick Peto

Painter, American, 1854 - 1907

This painting shows a yellow ink pot, a white pen or quill, and an opened blue envelope resting on top of a large green book. The ink pot has a drop of black ink running down its side. The pot and the quill are both on top of the blue envelope, which has one side that has been ripped open and a pink stamp in one corner. The green book at the bottom has stripes of black and red on its spine, surrounded by gold borders. The surface underneath the book is black, and the wall behind the objects is tan, with the left side in shadow.

Media Options

This object’s media is not available for download. Contact us about image usage.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on wood

  • Credit Line

    Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

  • Dimensions

    overall: 10.8 x 16.5 cm (4 1/4 x 6 1/2 in.)
    framed: 20 x 26 x 1.6 cm (7 7/8 x 10 1/4 x 5/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1999.79.28

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Bernard Danenberg Galleries, New York). (Maxwell Galleries, San Francisco). Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Salzer, Los Angeles. (sale, Sotheby's, Los Angeles, 13-17 June 1977, 3rd day, no. 789); purchased by (Davis & Long Co., New York) for Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, Upperville, Virginia;[1] bequest 1999 to NGA.
[1] Provenance information is from the donor's collection records.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1965

  • The Reminiscent Object, Peale House Galleries, Philadelphia; La Jolla Museum of Art; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, 1965, no. 51.

1968

  • American Art Since 1850, Maxwell Galleries Ltd., San Francisco, 1968, no. 259, repro.

2008

  • Feast for the Eyes: American Masterworks from the National Gallery of Art, Academy Art Museum, Easton, Maryland, 2008, no cat.

Wikidata ID

Q20190080

You may be interested in

Loading Results