According to Ronald G. Pisano, throughout his career, Chase regarded himself a "realist" painter and found great satisfaction in depicting still lifes such as Still Life with Pepper and Carrott, painted circa 1900. While defending one of his still lifes he once argued "Subject is not important. Anything can be made attractive." He further believed that one of the chief beauties of painting was defined by the beauty of the technique that an artist used, the end result that "People will be charmed at the way you've done it."

The 1917 biography of the artist, by his friend and student Katherine Metcalf Roof, gives us a good indication of his regard for the subject of the still life. Roof tells us that Chase once remarked to his students, "If you can paint a pot you can paint an angel."

This painting will be included in Ronald G. Pisano's forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the Chase's work.