The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, USA, is hosting until the 5th of August 2007 an impressive exhibition of American still-life paintings, from the Hevrdejs Collection, one of the biggest and richest in the world. Although this part of American art history is little known in the rest of the world, there are many brilliant examples of this genre, signed by some of the most important US artists and most of them are a part of the Hevrdejs Collection.
Frank J. Hevrdejs himself has a life story that is almost as interesting as his collection. For several decades, he has spared nothing for aquiring rare still-lifes, by some of the most important American representatives of the genre, ranging from James Peale to 20th century Impressionist. The curators have carefully organised this exhibition as a complement to the exhibition of still lifes by the Dutch painter Jan van Huysum.
The best work in the show and without a doubt a real masterpiece is the work of John Frederick Peto (1854-1907), titled "The Writer's Table-A Precarious Moment", painted in 1892.
John Frederick Peto - The Writer's Table-A Precarious Moment
Photo : mfah.org
July 2007
