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The 3 Most Famous William T. Wiley Paintings, Each One of a Kind
Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 7 works by William T. Wiley in our catalogue
In short
Flag Song (1959) is the William T. Wiley painting that draws the most eyes; the original belongs to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco. After it, the eye goes to Subtle Manipulations (1970) and The Dirty Rat (1971). Among the 7 works of William T. Wiley in our catalog, these 3 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
1937 – 2021, Bedford
Most works: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Top 10 paintings by William T. Wiley, through the gallery's eye
The museums that keep William T. Wiley's originals
The 3 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by William T. Wiley | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco |
San Francisco | 1 | Flag Song |
 Buffalo AKG Art Museum |
Buffalo | 1 | Subtle Manipulations |
 Art Institute of Chicago |
Chicago | 1 | The Dirty Rat |
William T. Wiley across the years: the unique originals of each
13 years separate William T. Wiley's first and last dated originals shown here, 1959 and 1971: each year has its place below.
Works per year
Pick a year to see its originals.
William T. Wiley's paintings: questions for the gallery
What is the single most famous work of William T. Wiley?Reveal the answer
Flag Song (1959), Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco. Subtle Manipulations (1970) and The Dirty Rat (1971) come next.
At what age did William T. Wiley create Flag Song?Reveal the answer
22 years old: Flag Song dates from 1959, and William T. Wiley was born in 1937.
How many works by William T. Wiley are known?Reveal the answer
Our catalog holds 7 works by William T. Wiley, dated from 1959 to 1971.
Where can the most famous William T. Wiley originals be seen?Reveal the answer
Mostly in Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (San Francisco), Buffalo AKG Art Museum (Buffalo) and Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago). The museum table above lists them all.
Which famous William T. Wiley painting is the earliest, and which the latest?Reveal the answer
On this page, the earliest is Flag Song (1959) and the latest The Dirty Rat (1971).
William T. Wiley: a portrait of the artist
The Multidisciplinary Vision of William T. Wiley
William Thomas Wiley was an American artist whose creative practice spanned a vast array of media. His work included drawing, painting, sculpture, film, performance, and even pinball. As a member of the faculty at the University of California, Davis, he taught students such as Bruce Nauman and Deborah Butterfield. His artistic output was characterized by a unique approach that some have referred to as funk art. Beyond the visual arts, Wiley was a singer and musician, collaborating with composer Efdemin on musical projects.
His diverse body of work has been featured in numerous prestigious venues, including the Venice Biennial and the Whitney Biennial. He was also a dedicated printmaker, collaborating with various companies such as Landfall Press and Crown Point Press. In addition to his visual and musical pursuits, he created limited edition art books in collaboration with Arion Press.
Technique and Artistic Legacy
Wiley's paintings are notable for their specific technique, often incorporating sketch-like drawings and handwritten notations. For example, his work Fan for the A.M. features areas of bright acrylic paint surrounded by drawings and writing in colored pencil. His sculptural work often involved metal fabrication, resulting in large-scale pieces such as The Tower of the No Bull Salvage, Gong, and Harp.
Throughout his career, Wiley received several honors, including:
His work is held in many significant collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.