Wayne Thiebaud (1920–2021)
1961
Oil on canvas
The diner mug was an iconic object of modern America when Wayne Thiebaud painted this work. Designed for hardwearing military use in the Second World War, it became a familiar feature of diners, which multiplied across the country in the post-war years. Thiebaud invites us not to overlook this commonplace cup of coffee and to consider its character and associations through the richness of its colours and forms. A defining feature of his new work from this period was its embrace of the effects of bright Californian sunlight and of intensely lit modern commercial interiors, which accentuated deep shadows and colour nuances.