In 1909, Peterson returned to Europe to study with the Spanish Master Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, whose influence would make the largest impact on her mature painting style. Working with Sorolla from dawn to dusk, Peterson’s work ethic was cemented while her palette brightened, her brushwork grew more spontaneous and gestural, and she finally achieved the dynamic technique she had been searching for. With renewed confidence in her skills, Peterson traveled through Algeria and Egypt before returning to the United States to open a one-artist show at the Art Institute of Chicago in December, 1910. The exhibition was comprised of nearly ninety works documenting her stays in North Africa and Europe, and it’s possible that Antiques Shop, Venice was among the group given the specific nature of the subject and a similar title in the Institute’s catalogue. Critics were impressed with her development, focusing on the strength of her brushwork and color: “[Peterson] has without doubt achieved satisfactory results and, since she has an excellent technique, broad ideas of the effective in composition, and is a brilliant colorist, her future gives the brightest promise both for herself and the art loving public.” (http://www.vosegalleries.com/artists/jane-peterson/works/antiques-shop-venice#.WSLJ8oU41WY)