Delights
Wayne Thiebaud's Delights print series includes enchanting etchings such as Suckers, Lunch, Fish, and Banana Splits. Produced in the mid 1960s series exemplifies his celebrated style of depicting everyday food items with an exaggerated sense of form and shadow. Created over several years, this series captures the nostalgia and commercial allure of quintessentially American food displays.
Wayne Thiebaud Delights For sale
Delights Value (5 Years)
Wayne Thiebaud's Delights series has historically shown more modest results compared with the artist’s wider oeuvre, with auction prices ranging from £1431 to £4714. Average annual growth has remained modest at -5.91%, with certain works seeing declines in value. Over 6 total auction appearances, average selling prices have held steady around £2872. This series appeals to collectors seeking accessible entry points into Wayne Thiebaud’s print market.
Delights Market value
Auction Results
| Artwork | Auction Date | Auction House | Return to Seller | Hammer Price | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fish Wayne Thiebaud Signed Print | 15 Feb 2024 | Phillips New York | £1,148 | £1,350 | £1,800 |
 Banana Splits Wayne Thiebaud Signed Print | 15 Feb 2024 | Phillips New York | £2,380 | £2,800 | £3,850 |
 Suckers Wayne Thiebaud Signed Print | 14 Feb 2024 | Rago | £2,848 | £3,350 | £4,500 |
 Lunch Wayne Thiebaud Signed Print | 20 Apr 2021 | Phillips New York | £1,998 | £2,350 | £3,150 |
 Bacon And Eggs Wayne Thiebaud Signed Print | 28 Oct 2016 | Sotheby's New York | £3,613 | £4,250 | £5,500 |
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Meaning & Analysis
Wayne Thiebaud’s Delights series serves as an exploration of the aesthetics of food and its presentation in American culture. Each artwork in the series portrays common food items in a manner that elevates them beyond mere sustenance to become symbols of cultural identity and consumerism. Thiebaud’s use of cross hatched line, monochrome palette, and enhanced shadows gives these everyday objects a sense of solidity and weight, making them appear as delectable as they are iconic.
“There's nothing really that I've ever found in other lines that is like an etched line--its fidelity, the richness of it, the density. You just don't get that any other way.” – Wayne Thiebaud
The series is characterised by its focus on the commercial presentation of food, with each print capturing the glossy sheen of candy wrappers, the neat assortment of cakes, and the crisp edges of sandwiches. Thiebaud’s approach is reminiscent of advertising and commercial art, reflecting on how food is marketed and the role it plays in consumer culture.
The artworks in this series, such as Cherry Stand and Cake Window, are more than just still lifes; they are windows into the collective American psyche, exploring how food can evoke memory, convey cultural nuances, and foster communal experiences.
