Lot Essay
John Frederick Peto's Carpetbag, Hat and Umbrella, executed circa 1890, belongs to a limited series of paintings that depict commonplace objects hanging against a wall. It is an amalgamation of many aspects of Peto's style--the thickly painted surface recalls his early still lifes of mugs and pipes and the simplicity of the composition is characteristic of his ability to give his works a "distinctive quality of abstract power" (J. Wilmerding, Important Information Inside, Washington, DC, 1983, p. 60).
Peto's talent for simplifying a composition without losing the viewer's attention is adeptly demonstrated in Carpetbag, Hat and Unbrella. At first glance, the composition seems simple; however, careful consideration shows that it is quite delicately balanced to draw the viewer's eye throughout. The majority of the elements are grouped in the center, highlighted by the symmetrical hat, but the green peg board draws the viewer's eye upward, while a shadow along the left differentiates it from the blank white wall. Similarly, the tip of the umbrella draws attention to the bottom of the picture and the bright palette enlivens the modest composition.
This piece can be identified with other works by Peto for, while they depict "Items and utensils in everyday use, they breathe an air of quiet temporality." (Wilmerding, p. 58)
Peto's talent for simplifying a composition without losing the viewer's attention is adeptly demonstrated in Carpetbag, Hat and Unbrella. At first glance, the composition seems simple; however, careful consideration shows that it is quite delicately balanced to draw the viewer's eye throughout. The majority of the elements are grouped in the center, highlighted by the symmetrical hat, but the green peg board draws the viewer's eye upward, while a shadow along the left differentiates it from the blank white wall. Similarly, the tip of the umbrella draws attention to the bottom of the picture and the bright palette enlivens the modest composition.
This piece can be identified with other works by Peto for, while they depict "Items and utensils in everyday use, they breathe an air of quiet temporality." (Wilmerding, p. 58)