Take Your Choice

1885

John Frederick Peto

Associated Names
John Frederick Peto
Artist, American, 1854 - 1907
The artwork depicts a wooden crate filled with a variety of books, some standing upright while others are leaning or stacked horizontally. The books are in various colors, including red, blue, green, and brown, with some showing signs of wear. In the foreground, there's a book with a blue cover lying open, partially covering another book with a black and white image. The background features a textured, grayish wall with subtle color patches. The overall color palette is muted, with earthy tones dominating the composition.

Media Options

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On View
West Building, Main Floor, Gallery M65

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    John Wilmerding Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 51.4 x 76.8 cm (20 1/4 x 30 1/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2025.89.13

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

John W. Barnes [1902-1964], New York, by 1950; (Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York); sold 18 January 1973 to John Wilmerding, New York [1938-2024]; bequest 2025 to NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1962

  • Williams Alumni Loan Exhibition, Williams College Museum of Art, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 1962.

1972

  • Faces and Places: Changing Images of Nineteenth Century America, no. 76, repro.

1983

  • Important Information Inside: The Art of John F. Peto and the Idea of Still-Life Painting in Nineteenth Century America, National Gallery of Art, The Amon Carter Museum, 1983, n. 122, repro.

2004

  • American Masters from Bingham to Eakins. The John Wilmerding Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 2004-2005, no. 24, repro.

Bibliography

1950

  • _John F. Peto. Exhibition catalogue, Brooklyn Museum, 1950: 15.

1969

  • Frankenstein, Alfred. After the Hunt: William Harnett and Other American Still Life Painters 1870-1900. Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1969: 21, 22-23, 102.

2004

  • "The John Wilmerding Collection: 'A Cause for Celebration.'" Antiques and the Arts Weekly(November 2004): 67, repro.

Inscriptions

lower right: J.F. Peto
inscribed on the verso: TAKE YOUR CHOICE / ARTIST / PHILA / PA

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