Wayne Thiebaud’s still-life paintings of food and consumer goods established him as an early pioneer of Pop Art. Along with cakes, lipsticks, and toys, ties were among his most popular motifs. His interest in a formal approach to composition led him to explore many variations of this subject, depicting ties on racks or in piles and stacks. In Row of Ties, unexpected color harmonies and inventive paint handling emphasize the flatness and tactility of the hanging ties, creating a rhythmic composition that appears simultaneously real and abstract. Thiebaud’s isolation of these objects against a white background evokes his experience in advertising and his understanding of the visual impact of commercial artists’ treatment of their subjects. While it was common to devalue such work on the basis of its easy commercial appeal, Thiebaud explained, “I had too much respect for commercial artists. I appreciated how skilled they really are.”
