Wayne Thiebaud’s Sweet Take on American Art

Pancakes. Burgers. Sundaes. Display cases of pies oozing filling and tiered cakes topped with cherries. Plates of food ready to eat. The feasts look scrumptious, but the cakes are iced with thick layers of paint, and the pies are luminous with colors more often found at an artist’s easel than a confectioner’s station. Even so, both the desserts and the paintings that showcase them are undoubtedly American creations.

With his luscious oil paintings in bright, rainbow hues, Wayne Thiebaud...