Wayne Thiebaud

Thiebaud, Morton Wayne
American, 1920 - 2021

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Thirteen round cakes sit in three rows, each on a disk-like stand supported on a thin rod, in this horizontal painting. We look slightly down onto the cakes, which only barely overlap. All of the cakes are round except for one, which has been cut in half so we see the four layers of yellow cake and chocolate frosting inside. The top of that cake is white. All of the other cakes are unique except for two angel food cakes at the center, which are slightly different heights. Most of the other cakes have white or brown frosting, except for a pink cake at the front right. That cake has white swags piped on the sides and a pink rose on the top. Next to it is a cake topped with yellow, perhaps lemon curd. The other two cakes in the front row have a white swirl against dark brown frosting, and the fourth, near the left egde, is topped with a single red cherry. Half of a low, pale orange cake is cut off by the left edge of the canvas in the middle row. Each cake stand casts a pale gray shadow against the light, arctic-blue counter. The paint is thickly applied throughout, and the outlines around the cakes, plates, and rods are streaked with rainbow colors. The artist signed the work by incising his name and the date into the wet white paint in the top right corner: “Thiebaud 1963.”
Wayne Thiebaud, Cakes, 1963, oil on canvas, Gift in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art from the Collectors Committee, the 50th Anniversary Gift Committee, and The Circle, with Additional Support from the Abrams Family in Memory of Harry N. Abrams, 1991.1.1

Cakes

Wayne Thiebaud · 1963 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1991.1.1
The image shows an aerial perspective of a landscape sketched with pencil. Rectangular forms resembling buildings dot the expanse, placed on a plain. The artist uses delicate pencil strokes to create a softly textured effect, with darker shading indicating the structures. The color palette is primarily gray, enhancing the subtle visual impact. The scene suggests a sparsely populated region with vastness stretching to the edges of the frame.
Wayne Thiebaud, Travelers [preparatory drawing], 2019, graphite on tracing paper [preparatory drawing], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.699

Travelers [preparatory drawing]

Wayne Thiebaud · 2019 · graphite on tracing paper [preparatory drawing] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.699
The image depicts a landscape with a cliff dominating the left side of the composition. The horizon is not visible, with the focus on the vertical expanse of the cliff stretching away from the viewer. The cliff has a textured appearance with light and shadow indicating depth. The sky on the right has swirling marks suggesting clouds and movement. The color palette is monochromatic, emphasizing the boldness of the cliff against the subdued sky.
Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York, Canyon Clouds [working proof 3], 2019, hard ground etching and drypoint on wove Somerset paper [working proof 3], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.693

Canyon Clouds [working proof 3]

Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York · 2019 · hard ground etching and drypoint on wove Somerset paper [working proof 3] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.693
The image depicts an abstract landscape with a top-down view. Minimalist lines form vertical shapes reminiscent of cliffs or canyon walls. Amorphous shapes suggest clouds or celestial forms. The etching technique uses delicate lines for a simple and elegant effect. The monochromatic palette ranges from light tones to deeper shadows, creating a stark visual impact against the plain background.
Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York, Canyon Clouds [working proof 1], 2019, hard ground etching on wove Somerset paper [working proof 1], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.691

Canyon Clouds [working proof 1]

Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York · 2019 · hard ground etching on wove Somerset paper [working proof 1] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.691
This is an illustration of vehicles traveling on a road. The image shows a wide, open road extending to the horizon. There are various vehicles of different sizes and shapes on the road. The scene is created using detailed lines to indicate motion towards the distant vanishing point. The background is plain, highlighting the vast landscape. The lines on the road convey speed and movement, creating a sense of a journey.
Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York, Travelers [working proof 2], 2019, hard ground etching, aquatint, and drypoint on wove Somerset paper [working proof 2], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.697

Travelers [working proof 2]

Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York · 2019 · hard ground etching, aquatint, and drypoint on wove Somerset paper [working proof 2] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.697
The image shows a massive cliff face dominating the left side of the composition. The cliff has fine, vertical lines resembling textured rock surface, conveying depth and enormity. The sky in the background has a gradient of grayscale shades for an airy atmosphere, with cloud-like formations adding movement. The horizon is not clearly visible as attention is drawn upwards. The color palette is monochromatic with blacks, whites, and grays for a contrasting visual impact.
Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York, Canyon Clouds [working proof 4], 2019, hard ground etching, drypoint, and aquatint with graphite and white colored pencil additions on wove Somerset paper [working proof 4], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.694

Canyon Clouds [working proof 4]

Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York · 2019 · hard ground etching, drypoint, and aquatint with graphite and white colored pencil additions on wove Somerset paper [working proof 4] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.694
The image shows a view from above a cliff edge, downward at a rocky face on the left. The horizon is positioned high with minimal detail, emphasizing the cliffs' steepness. Delicate brushstrokes or etches add texture to the rocks. The image is monochromatic, using shades of grey. The sky is lightly sketched, and faint lines hint at other landforms in the upper right.
Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York, Canyon Clouds [working proof 2], 2019, hard ground etching with graphite additions on wove Somerset paper [working proof 2], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.692

Canyon Clouds [working proof 2]

Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York · 2019 · hard ground etching with graphite additions on wove Somerset paper [working proof 2] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.692
The image shows a straight road extending to the horizon. Various vehicles, such as trucks and cars, are traveling on the road. The road and vehicles are depicted with fine, expressive strokes, creating a sketch-like quality. The color palette is monochromatic, using only black and white shades. The horizon line is high in the image, focusing on the road and vehicles.
Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York, Travelers [working proof 3], 2019, hard ground etching, drypoint, and aquatint in greay and black on wove Somerset paper [working proof 3], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.698

Travelers [working proof 3]

Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York · 2019 · hard ground etching, drypoint, and aquatint in greay and black on wove Somerset paper [working proof 3] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.698
The image shows a flat landscape with a river, a narrow strip of land with trees on the left and a structure with a chimney on the right. On the horizon, there is a jet flying in the sky. The artwork features fine lines in a monochromatic grayscale palette, creating a peaceful scene. The water in the foreground reflects elements of the background.
Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York, River and Airplane [working proof 1], 2019, hard ground etching on wove Somerset paper [working proof 1], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.689

River and Airplane [working proof 1]

Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York · 2019 · hard ground etching on wove Somerset paper [working proof 1] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.689
The image shows a road scene from a bird's-eye view. Several vehicles are depicted moving away from the viewer toward the horizon. The horizon line is high in the image, emphasizing the vast expanse of road. The fine, linear brushstrokes suggest precision and movement as they extend towards the horizon. The color palette is monochromatic, with shades of black and white adding detail and depth. Different types of vehicles, including buses, trucks, and cars, can be seen traveling along defined lanes. They decrease in size as they move further away. A plume of smoke is rising from a vehicle to the right, adding a dynamic element to the overall depiction.
Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York, Travelers [working proof 1], 2019, hard ground etching on wove Somerset paper [working proof 1], Gift of Kathan Brown, 2024.132.696

Travelers [working proof 1]

Wayne Thiebaud, Emily York · 2019 · hard ground etching on wove Somerset paper [working proof 1] ·  Accession ID  2024.132.696

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Thirteen round cakes sit in three rows, each on a disk-like stand supported on a thin rod, in this horizontal painting. We look slightly down onto the cakes, which only barely overlap. All of the cakes are round except for one, which has been cut in half so we see the four layers of yellow cake and chocolate frosting inside. The top of that cake is white. All of the other cakes are unique except for two angel food cakes at the center, which are slightly different heights. Most of the other cakes have white or brown frosting, except for a pink cake at the front right. That cake has white swags piped on the sides and a pink rose on the top. Next to it is a cake topped with yellow, perhaps lemon curd. The other two cakes in the front row have a white swirl against dark brown frosting, and the fourth, near the left egde, is topped with a single red cherry. Half of a low, pale orange cake is cut off by the left edge of the canvas in the middle row. Each cake stand casts a pale gray shadow against the light, arctic-blue counter. The paint is thickly applied throughout, and the outlines around the cakes, plates, and rods are streaked with rainbow colors. The artist signed the work by incising his name and the date into the wet white paint in the top right corner: “Thiebaud 1963.”

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