Wayne Thiebaud (1920–2021), 35 Cent Masterworks (detail), 1970–1972. Oil on canvas, 36 x 24 in. (91.44 x 60.96 cm). © Wayne Thiebaud Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY
Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art
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“I believe very much in the tradition that art comes from art and nothing else” —Wayne Thiebaud
Wayne Thiebaud (1920–2021) became famous for his colorful paintings of American confections and buffets. He was also a self-described art “thief,” who openly drew ideas from and reinterpreted old and new European and American artworks. An influential teacher at Sacramento Junior College and the University of California, Davis, Thiebaud never stopped learning. He believed that art history is a continuum that connects artists of the past, present, and future. Highlighting work from across the beloved artist’s six-decade career, this exhibition features Thiebaud’s inventive reinterpretations and direct copies of famous artworks, as well as objects from his personal art collection that inspired him. Approximately 60 quintessential works by Thiebaud — including paintings of people (alone and together); still lives of cakes, tabletops, and other ordinary objects; cityscapes featuring soaring buildings; and mountain landscapes — offer an in-depth exploration of one of the most important and overlooked aspects of his creative practice: his passionate engagement with art history.
Sponsors
This exhibition is organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and made possible due to exceptionally generous support from Bernard and Barbro Osher.
Presenting Sponsors
John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn
Lead Sponsor
The Wayne Thiebaud Foundation
Diane B. Wilsey
Major Support
Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund
Significant Support
Lorna Meyer Calas and Dennis Calas
Cheryl Frank and Michael Linn
Margaret & Will Hearst
Generous Support
Robert H. Beadle
Christine & Pierre Lamond
Jeffrey and Vivian Saper
Mary Beth and David Shimmon
Trine Sorensen and Michael Jacobson