Wayne Thiebaud, Draftsman

Wayne Thiebaud, "Nine Jelly Apples" (1964)

A special shout-out to Johanna Fateman for her “Goings On About Town: Art: Wayne Thiebaud, Draftsman” (The New Yorker, July 9 & 16, 2018), which begins, “Oil paint lends itself to Thiebaud’s canvases like buttercream to cake, and his works on paper are every bit as delectable.” That’s a great opener, perfectly evoking the thick luscious texture of Thiebaud’s iconic cakes, pies, and ice-cream cones. He’s the creator of at least eight New Yorker “Food Issue” covers, including the superb “Food Bowls” for the September 5, 2005 issue – my choice for the best single New Yorker of the last twenty years. It contains, among other gems, Judith Thurman’s “Night Kitchens,” John Seabrook’s “Renaissance Pears,” and Burkhard Bilger’s “The Egg Men.” 

   

Fateman’s note tells of a new exhibition at the Morgan Library and Museum, titled “Wayne Thiebaud, Draftsman,” exploring Thiebaud’s works on paper, from quick sketches to pastels, watercolors, and charcoal drawings. Some of these items are on display at the Morgan’s website, including the deliciously colored “Nine Jelly Apples” (1964) shown above.