Van [working proof 17]
1988
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
drypoint on wove Somerset paper [working proof 17]
Dimensions
plate: 22.5 × 30 cm (8 7/8 × 11 13/16 in.) sheet: 35.1 × 40.8 cm (13 13/16 × 16 1/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Kathan Brown
Accession Number
2024.132.704
Art Historical Context
Wayne Thiebaud's *Van [working proof 17]* (1988) is a captivating drypoint print on wove Somerset paper, measuring 22.5 × 30 cm on the plate. As working proof 17, this piece offers a rare glimpse into the artist's iterative process, showcasing refinements made before the final edition. Thiebaud, renowned for his vibrant Pop Art paintings of everyday American subjects like cakes and landscapes, ventured into printmaking later in his career, bringing his signature luminous color and playful forms to intaglio techniques. Drypoint, Thiebaud's chosen medium here, involves scratching directly into ...
About the Artist
Wayne Thiebaud
Wayne Thiebaud, born Morton Wayne Thiebaud on November 15, 1920, in Mesa, Arizona, grew up in a Mormon family in southern California after his parents relocated there shortly after his birth. His father worked various jobs, including as a Ford mechanic and real estate agent. As a teenager, Thiebaud apprenticed one summer at Walt Disney Studios, drawing in-betweens for characters like Goofy and Pin...