Around the Cake, Wayne Thiebaud (1920–2021)

Wayne Thiebaud drew inspiration from mass-produced objects and commercial food displays, making his works relatable to consumers and art lovers alike. This painting presents an indulgently frosted cake encircled by similar cake slices, as if on display in a supermarket or bakery. Intense shadows and vibrant colors mimic advertisements of the 1950s and 1960s while the heavily applied paint provides an illusion of realistic, thick frosting, which the artist described as a kind of metaphor for American overindulgence.