Office Board 1885

John F. Peto created this trompe-l'oeil, "Office Board," in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. This painting, rendered with oil on canvas, offers a window into the commercial world, seemingly documenting the ephemera of business and correspondence. "Office Board" presents a collection of images, letters, and commercial packaging, arranged like notes pinned to a wooden surface. We see an era defined by the rise of mass media and advertising, reflective of America’s growing consumer culture, an era of increasing industrialization. Peto’s careful imitation of reality invites viewers to contemplate the changing landscape of American society. To understand Peto's art, we must study the socio-economic transformations occurring at this time. Archival research, exploring periodicals and commercial records, will reveal the cultural codes embedded within Peto’s work. "Office Board" is not just an aesthetic exercise, but also a historical document, reflecting the social structures of its time and inviting us to interpret the politics of imagery.