New York – Pie a la Mode, 1961 by renowned American painter Wayne Thiebaud (1920-2021) will headline Bonhams 20th / 21st Century Art Evening Sale this May 14 in New York, after remaining in the same distinguished California collection for over six decades. Widely regarded as one of Thiebaud's most important paintings of the 1960s, Pie a la Mode is a sumptuous marriage of Pop ideology and painterly Realism and is a marker of the inception of Thiebaud's career-defining body of work that both propelled him onto the scene and cemented his enduring artistic significance.

Making its auction debut and estimated at $1,200,000 – 1,800,000, Pie a la Mode, has an impressive exhibition history, most notably in 1962 at the seminal New Painting of Common Objects at the Pasadena Art Museum. Widely credited as the first museum survey of American Pop Art, Pie a la Mode was shown alongside works by seven titans of Thiebaud's generation including Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and Ed Ruscha, further bolstering Thiebaud's ascent to greatness. Presently, Wayne Thiebaud's legacy continues to resonate profoundly in the current landscape with his most recent major exhibition, Wayne Thiebaud: Art Comes from Art, currently on view at the Legion of Honour in San Francisco until August 2025.

"This May, we have an exceptional selection of works spanning from blue-chip artists, who have defined the 20th Century canon, like Willem de Kooning, to emerging artists, who champion their culture and roots, like Emmi Whitehorse, bringing a significant array of artists into a compelling dialogue," commented Ralph Taylor, Global Head of 20th/21st Century Art for Bonhams. "These offerings highlight pieces of remarkable significance within the art historical canon, positioned at a price point that Bonhams excels in. We continue to be leaders in this segment, establishing a niche in the 20th / 21st Century Art market that continues to thrive."

Bonhams' 20th / 21st Century Art Evening Sale in New York will showcase a variety of other masterpieces, spanning from Impressionist to Contemporary art. Among the notable highlights is The Cross, 1948 by Alexander Calder (1898-1976), estimated at $750,000 – 1,250,000. The rare and dynamic work of oil, hailing from the most sought-after period in his oeuvre, was heavily inspired by Calder's Snake and Cross, 1936, a mobile pivotal in his exploration of unforeseen forces in kinetic art. By revisiting the motif of the snake and the cross in the present work, Calder allows viewers to see his subject in a new, fresh light—as part of the experience of interacting with the world.

Also notable in the sale is The Bed, 1982, by Fernando Botero (1932-2023), estimated at $700,000 – 1,000,000. An exemplary foray into the classical nude, the present work showcases Botero's dexterous ability to reinterpret art historical genres in his signature style, heavily laced with symbols and cues. In The Bed, Botero emphasises sensual form, transforming the classical Venus into a courtesan, a recurring theme in his work since the early 1970s.

A pair of Willem de Kooning (1904-1997) paintings, each from a distinguished private collection, will also be offered in the sale. They include de Kooning's Figure, 1965-66, estimated at $500,000 – 700,000, and East Hampton VII, 1968 estimated at $400,000 – 600,000. Both works, expressive of de Kooning's connection to abstraction and figuration, clearly demonstrate his mastery of soft, malleable pigments and nuanced texturization—the style that defines him as one of the twentieth century's most influential artists.

Additional highlights of the sale include:

• Red Abstraction, 1957 by Alma Thomas (1891-1978). Estimate: $350,000 – 550,000.

• Oh Happy Day, 1966 by Ernie Barnes (1938-2009). Estimate: $300,000 – 500,000.

• Treffpunkt (Meeting-Point), 1928 by Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944). Estimate: $300,000 – 500,000.

• Mitte-violett (Violet Centre), 1928 by Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944). Estimate: $300,000 – 500,000.

• Untitled, 1993, by Emmi Whitehorse (b.1957). Estimate: $40,000 – 60,000.

The 20th / 21st Century Art Evening Sale will be followed the next day by two additional sales from the department. Impressionist & Modern Art will be led by Homme et vielle femme, 1960, by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) estimated at $100,000 – 150,000. Post War & Contemporary Art will close out the trio of sales and will feature Welcome to the Water Planet, 1988 by James Rosenquist (1933-2017), estimated at $300,000 – 500,000.