This catalogue accompanies the first UK show of Wayne Thiebaud's quintessentially postwar American paintings

Wayne Thiebaud (1920–2021) is considered to be one of the greatest and most original American artists of the 20th century. This publication accompanies the first-ever museum show of his work in the United Kingdom, which will held at the Courtauld Gallery. The exhibition will accompany this richly illustrated and scholarly catalogue that will showcase research findings on Thiebaud's early still lifes. It will also be underpinned by research into the archive of objects and papers held by the Thiebaud Foundation, which, although well organized, has yet to be fully explored.

Wayne Thiebaud: American Still Life will showcase the ways in which Thiebaud recast the genre of still life for the modern age and created powerful images of American consumer culture in the years of postwar expansion and optimism. It will chart the moment when Thiebaud found his artistic voice, creating a highly original way of painting and drawing in order to express his vision of modern American consumer culture, which he considered to be a vital subject for contemporary painting. Thiebaud saw his work as continuing the radical legacy of earlier still-life paintings by Chardin, Manet, Cézanne and others. He believed in the importance of commonplace objects that might otherwise be overlooked or considered kitsch. His work turns hot dogs, lemon meringue pies and glossy cream cakes into the stuff of profound modern painting. The exhibition and catalogue will feature rarely lent works from private collections and major museum collections in the USA, including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, as well as the Wayne Thiebaud Foundation.

Published by Paul Holberton Publishing

Exhibition Schedule:

The Courtauld Gallery, London

(10 October 2025–18 January 2026)