Artwork
Slate, Pipe, Tobacco, and Box of Matches
Slate, Pipe, Tobacco, and Box of Matches is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Peter McCallion. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Peter McCallion’s oil on canvas, titled Slate, Pipe, Tobacco, and Box of Matches, dates to around 1895. The composition presents a modest arrangement on a dark wooden surface, featuring a slate, a smoking pipe, a bundle of tobacco leaves, and a small matchbox.
Subject & Meaning
The work focuses on ordinary objects associated with personal habit and leisure. By isolating these items, the painting invites contemplation of everyday rituals, emphasizing the tactile qualities of the materials and the quiet moments they suggest.
Technique & Style
McCallion renders the objects with a high degree of realism, employing thick brushwork that gives the tobacco leaves and slate surface a palpable texture. The handling of paint creates a near‑tactile illusion, reminiscent of the impasto technique used to build up surface relief.
History & Provenance
Created in the late nineteenth century, the painting reflects a period when many artists were still devoted to grand historical or portrait subjects. McCallion’s choice of a humble still life marks a departure toward the depiction of quotidian life, though specific ownership records for this work remain limited.
Artist & collection
