This is a tribute to the famous American literary author Mark Twain.

 

The composition embraces a few of Mark Twain's well known indulgences, such as smoking cigars, drinking scotch, and the many paid guest-appearances on his speaking tours across Europe, the events often being held in dimly-lit gentlemen's clubs.

 

The book depicted in the painting is Roughing It, an autobiographical account of his young adventurous gold mining days during the California rush of the 1800's.