Caged Condiments 2000

Wayne Thiebaud made this painting, Caged Condiments, to explore our relationship to everyday objects. The painting is built up with layers of chalky pastel, with the titular condiments sitting between the cool green ground and the warm pink table. I love the way that Thiebaud handles the light, casting shadows, and defining each item with precise outlines. You can tell that Thiebaud knew how to render what he saw! I imagine Thiebaud working away at the painting, looking carefully at the colours, seeing how they change in the light. It kind of reminds me of Morandi’s bottles; both artists took the humble still life and turned it into something beautiful, inviting us to look at the world in a new way.