Wayne Thiebaud: An American Still Life at the Courtauld Gallery in London

Who Is Wayne Thiebaud?

Wayne Thiebaud (1920–2021) was a California-based painter who specialized in representations of everyday objects. His breakthrough came in the 1960s, when he started with objects from pinball machines to pies, from deli counters to ice creams—the ordinary that Thiebaud elevated to art.

Because of his use of bright colors and interest in popular culture, Thiebaud is often associated with the Pop Art movement. However, his intention to bring his subjects to life sets him apart from the more ironic pandering toward consumerism found in works by the likes of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Thiebaud, in fact, saw himself as closer to and more in tune with the long-standing tradition of European still-life art.

Thiebaud’s Signature

Artistry is what makes the two rooms of this small exhibition memorable. There is no doubt that all the artworks are united by a unique voice. Popping colors, inviting arrangements, and a clever use of light (and layers of color) to “lift” the objects from the canvas—Thiebaud had a style of his own, which he mastered and put to work.

But a sense of emptiness surrounds the space and pervades the subjects of his paintings. Sometimes they are tinted with melancholy (a decimated deli counter after a day’s trade), sometimes with anticipation (an inviting array of pies awaiting the rush of customers). Often, there’s an aura of nostalgia of times gone by. Whatever the context, people are nowhere to be seen—the items take center stage, alongside their inanimate presence and artificial patterns.

The composition is often consistent (except in the handful of early paintings, where he was clearly still experimenting and finding his voice). The pale background is designed to be as unobtrusive as possible, leaving the brightly-colored items (often food) to shine. Monotonous? Perhaps, but still fascinating.

A Very American Still Life

The second thing that stands out is that the paintings on display at the Courtauld Gallery couldn’t be less American if they tried. This is perhaps what gives the exhibition an extra edge. In the European tradition, still life—particularly when involving food—tends to be a celebration of nature’s produce (think fruit and vegetables, fish and game). That’s not only true of the trailblazing Dutch still-life masters of the 1600s, but also of many more recent artists (from Impressionists to Thiebaud’s contemporaries, such as David Hockney). It is quite uncommon to see mass-produced sweets and candies getting the same recognition.

The colors, the shapes, the choices of subject—all quintessentially American “stuff,” all part of a celebration of the man-made and the ultra-processed. This is perhaps inevitable, as Thiebaud lived and worked in the US (and California specifically) all his life. But it would be reductive to assume this is just a by-product of Thiebaud’s surroundings. There is clearly an artistic choice at play.

Overall, this is an enjoyable exhibition that sheds light on an unusual (to Europeans) and accomplished American artist, very much a son of the 20th century who chose to make everyday modernity his artistic inspiration and subject matter. Like it or not, it is certainly out of the ordinary.

Wayne Thiebaud: An American Still Life is on at the Courtauld Gallery until January 18th, 2026.