San Francisco Sun

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco will host a retrospective exhibition titled "Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art" at the Legion of Honor, running from March 22 to August 17, 2025. This exhibition is the first to focus on Wayne Thiebaud's extensive reinterpretations of historical and contemporary artworks. The show will feature works from Thiebaud’s personal collection, including two pieces recently gifted by the Wayne Thiebaud Foundation.

Wayne Thiebaud was known for his unique approach to art history, which he viewed as a source of inspiration and connection across time. He once stated, “I believe very much in the tradition that art comes from art and nothing else.” His belief in the continuity of artistic ideas is further reflected in his words: “You can do art history backwards or forwards; you can take your choice. Progress is not part of it."

Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, commented on Thiebaud's practice: “As a self-identified ‘thief,’ who mined the work of his predecessors and contemporaries, Wayne Thiebaud’s practice was deeply rooted in his study of art history.”

The exhibition will display around 60 reinterpretations by Thiebaud alongside reference images of original artworks that inspired him. It also includes a salon-style gallery with about 30 copies after other artists like Rembrandt van Rijn and Édouard Manet.

Timothy Anglin Burgard, curator for the exhibition, noted that Thiebaud’s engagement with art history transcended traditional boundaries: “Viewed from this perspective, the entire global history of art...was as accessible, relevant, and inspiring to Thiebaud as contemporary art.”

Three significant works from Thiebaud’s collection were donated to the Fine Arts Museums ahead of this exhibition. Two pieces—Joan Mitchell’s Untitled (ca. 1957) and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres’s Mrs. Fleetwood Pellew (Harriet Frances Webster) (1817)—will be publicly displayed for the first time.

Thiebaud gained fame in 1962 with paintings depicting American food displays but later explored various subjects such as landscapes and portraits. His career spanned decades during which he influenced American art post-WWII through both his artwork and teaching roles at Sacramento City College and UC Davis.

The Legion of Honor is celebrating its centennial with "Legion of Honor 100," an event highlighting its rich collections since its founding in 1924.

The upcoming exhibition is organized by Timothy Anglin Burgard along with support from numerous sponsors including Bernard and Barbro Osher Foundation among others.