The Poor Man's Store

This painting depicts a shabby but colourful storefront window with brightly coloured candies, peanuts, gingerbread, and fruit for sale. It is surrounded by a wooden frame illusionistically painted to simulate a door, shelf, and wall.

This canvas belongs to the school of trompe l’oeil paintings associated with William Michael Harnett with whom Peto became friendly while living in Philadelphia and borrowed many of his subjects and compositional devices.