Gallery 25

This picture demonstrates Peale’s mastery of representational painting. He captured the likeness of the blackberry, a notoriously wild plant that is difficult to tame, capturing each individual berry with exuberance and animation. He preserves the fruit in a fixed state, so that its perfection will endure long after its model has withered.

In this still life, the artist shows an apple tree’s leaves and stems in every stage from freshness to decay, prompting the viewer to think about the cycle of life and death. The darkened leaves and stems contrast with the round, bright apples, which seem even more tempting and delicious by comparison.

This painting presents a pile of books hastily arranged in a cabinet. The unrelated volumes demonstrate the booksellers’ practice of gathering random unsold titles and offering the entire group (the “job lot”) at a discounted price. Peto’s close-up view provides a telling and realistic record of the cast-offs of commerce at the turn of the century.

This painting presents a pile of books hastily arranged in a cabinet. The unrelated volumes demonstrate the booksellers’ practice of gathering random unsold titles and offering the entire group (the “job lot”) at a discounted price. Peto’s close-up view provides a telling and realistic record of the cast-offs of commerce at the turn of the century.

The Cup We All Race 4 presents a visual rebus and pushes painting beyond representation to question the boundaries between reality and illusion. The central boards—with their hook and nails, tin cup, and incised letters—are painted on the canvas. But the painting’s frame is made of actual wooden boards, painted to match those depicted. The artist’s game is made even more convincing by the realistic scale of all these objects and the mysterious title.

The Cup We All Race 4 presents a visual rebus and pushes painting beyond representation to question the boundaries between reality and illusion. The central boards—with their hook and nails, tin cup, and incised letters—are painted on the canvas. But the painting’s frame is made of actual wooden boards, painted to match those depicted. The artist’s game is made even more convincing by the realistic scale of all these objects and the mysterious title.

In this trompe l’oeil painting, the viewer is shown a set of evocative objects, suggesting an encapsulation of a person’s life as seen through their belongings. A life-sized banjo hanging on a wall is surrounded by personal effects (maybe even the artist’s own): sheet music, a crumpled hat, a peacock feather, and a pair of photographs of two boxers and a pretty young woman (an empty spot suggests another photo or card has been ripped away).

In this trompe l’oeil painting, the viewer is shown a set of evocative objects, suggesting an encapsulation of a person’s life as seen through their belongings. A life-sized banjo hanging on a wall is surrounded by personal effects (maybe even the artist’s own): sheet music, a crumpled hat, a peacock feather, and a pair of photographs of two boxers and a pretty young woman (an empty spot suggests another photo or card has been ripped away).

The Wild Swan was owned for many years by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In the early 20th century it came to be known as The Trumpeter Swan, perhaps in response to the suggestion that the painting brought attention to the threatened status of trumpeter swans, who were then close to extinction.

The Wild Swan was owned for many years by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In the early 20th century it came to be known as The Trumpeter Swan, perhaps in response to the suggestion that the painting brought attention to the threatened status of trumpeter swans, who were then close to extinction.