Oil on canvas. 6 x 8 3/4 in. A lovely, small piece by Peto, Pipe, Tobacco and Books is a livelier painting with lighter colors, including warm whites, orange, and green. The delicate tobacco pot with gold leafing provides excellent contrast with the bound books. The burnt matches in the foreground provides an excellent opportunity for Peto to demonstrate his skill as he depicts the texture of the brittle head. The matches also provide an opportunity for storytelling that verges on the cinematic: someone has just been here, smoking and reading. The painting and the frame are both in excellent condition. The distinctive colors and the range of shadows showcase Peto’s characteristic visual language at its best.