Peter Max Photography
American, German, b. 1937
Born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin in 1937, psychedelic Pop art icon Peter Max spent the first part of his childhood in Shanghai after his parents emigrated from Germany to flee the Nazis. While there, Max developed his deep interest in American pop culture — namely comic books, jazz and cinema. Max’s paintings, graphic design, prints and illustrations, which were inspired by these interests, were also informed by his experience with synesthesia, a sensory condition that causes him to see music and hear color.
After relocating to Haifa, Israel, then Paris, where he spent a significant amount of time in sketching classes at the Louvre, a teenage Max and his family finally moved to the United States, settling in Brooklyn. Max enrolled in the Art Students League of New York in 1956, training under Frank J. Reilly, and then the School of Visual Arts. Throughout art school, Max focused on photorealism, but he found the style too restrictive. When he graduated and opened his graphic design studio with friends in 1962, he began experimenting with abstraction and color — just in time for the psychedelic era.
The technicolor works for which Max would become known are characterized by big and bold graphic qualities — not dissimilar to what you’d find in his beloved comic books. Some deeper themes emerged across his work too: Max spent a good portion of the 1960s and 1970s creating his signature cosmic style, inspired by his fascination with astronomy and Eastern philosophies.
For Max and his partners, the graphic design business was highly successful, with commissions rolling in from advertising agencies, magazines and even Hollywood in the form of movie posters. The artist was featured on the cover of Life in 1969, and by the 1970s, he was practically a household name.
Max's body of work extended into product design, including a line of clocks for General Electric, while his domination of the commercial art scene continued for decades. He was commissioned to paint a postage stamp honoring the World’s Fair of 1974 (Expo ‘74); a Statue of Liberty series in which some proceeds went on to fund the statue’s restoration; posters and other advertising materials for major events like the Super Bowl, the U.S. Open and the Grammys; a Dale Earnhardt race car; and even the hull of the Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship.
Commercial activities aside, Max has long been the subject of many museum exhibitions, from his first solo show in 1970, “The World of Peter Max,” at the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in San Francisco to 2016's “Peter Max: 50 Years of Cosmic Dreaming” at the Tampa Museum of Art in Florida. Today, his work belongs to the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and other institutions.
Find original Peter Max lithographs, paintings, signed art and other works for sale on 1stDibs.
to
1
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
509
10,206
2,781
2,504
1,382
2
2
Artist: Peter Max
“New Moon”
By Peter Max
Located in Warren, NJ
This is an Peter Max mixed media “new moon” acrylic on paper . Measures 47x44. Condition is good some minor frame wear. No coa but has registration code on the back from park west.
Category
20th Century Peter Max Photography
Materials
Acrylic
$5,000
“Statue of Liberty”
By Peter Max
Located in Warren, NJ
Original Peter max mixed media . In good condition. Measures 24x22. No coa but has park west original gold frame. Some minor wear to frame
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Peter Max Photography
Materials
Mixed Media
Related Items
Summer storm over the blue Danube / Acrylic, photograph on canvas / 50 x 70 cm
Located in Kraków, Województwo małopolskie
The painting "Summer storm over the beautiful Danube" is a combination of the author's photograph of the statue of Johan Strauss' son, taken in Vienna, c...
Category
2010s Abstract Expressionist Peter Max Photography
Materials
Acrylic
$7,000
H 19.69 in W 27.56 in D 1.58 in
Conceptual Artist Allen Ruppersberg Hand Printed Lithograph Prints
Photographs
By Allen Ruppersberg
Located in Surfside, FL
Allen Ruppersberg (American, 1944-)
Lithograph, Mixed media
From the Top Ten Historical Similarities (and Differences) Between Prints and Photographs.
This sale is of one print not t...
Category
2010s Conceptual Peter Max Photography
Materials
Mixed Media, Lithograph
Thelma Appel French Hill Spring terrific unique signed landscape painting Framed
By Thelma Appel
Located in New York, NY
Thelma Appel
French Hill Spring, 2010
Acrylic and Oil on Canvas painting
Hand signed and titled on the back
Frame included
This unique painting is signed, titled and dated on the bac...
Category
2010s Contemporary Peter Max Photography
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$7,500
H 48 in W 36 in D 2 in
Sardinia - Photograph by Amanda Ludovisi - 2018
Located in Roma, IT
Sardinia is a photograph taken by Amanda Ludovisi in 2018.
It represents a tranquil wave by the shore in Sardinia, which delicate colors. This is a gi...
Category
2010s Abstract Peter Max Photography
Materials
Acrylic
$481 Sale Price
25% Off
H 31.5 in W 43.31 in D 0.04 in
Solar Flare
By Elsa Marie Keefe
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Collaboration between artists Elsa Marie Keefe
John Mazlish. Shot during the height of the pandemic in June 2020. At that time more than ever, n...
Category
2010s Contemporary Peter Max Photography
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic, Wood Panel, Photographic Paper
Negative Star (Pink)
By Michael Dee
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A work by Michael Patrick Dee. "Negative Star" is a light jet on fujiflex, facemounted photograph depicting and abstracted, fuchsia star by contemporary artist Michael Patrick Dee.
...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Peter Max Photography
Materials
Mixed Media
Conceptual Artist Allen Ruppersberg Hand Printed Lithograph Prints
Photographs
By Allen Ruppersberg
Located in Surfside, FL
Allen Ruppersberg (American, 1944-)
Lithograph, Mixed media
From the Top Ten Historical Similarities (and Differences) Between Prints and Photographs.
This sale is of one print not t...
Category
2010s Conceptual Peter Max Photography
Materials
Mixed Media, Lithograph
"Olivia II" - Christiane Klisch - Nude - Acryl on Canvas
By Christiane Klisch
Located in Winterswijk, NL
Olivia II by Artist Christiane Klisch.
Part of a female torso.
The female body is only shown in part. Gestures and posture create their own visual language. The choice of color ali...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Peter Max Photography
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
$1,376 Sale Price
20% Off
H 31.5 in W 39.38 in
Comics Heroes in London painting
By SGARRA Robert
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
SGARRA Robert (1959)
Mix Acrylic paint and photograph Collage
Mount : Wood panel
Dimensions : (H) 150cm x (L)150 cm x (T) 10 cm
SGARRA Robert (1959)
French Painter and Scul...
Category
Late 20th Century Pop Art Peter Max Photography
Materials
Acrylic
Untitled, Painted Photograph, Landscape Nobuyoshi Araki
By Nobuyoshi Araki
Located in Surfside, FL
Acrylic paint embellished silver gelatin print, signed on back and dedicated by the artist, "FOR JOHN". Photograph depicting a red and yellow oval organic mass at center surrounded ...
Category
1980s Modern Peter Max Photography
Materials
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Silver Gelatin
Abstract Mod Blue Painting, Black
White Photograph Conor Mccreedy
By Conor Mccreedy
Located in Surfside, FL
Connor McCreedy (b. 1987):
Untitled
Black and white photograph with hand painting
2012
Hand signed 'McCreedy' lower right
Signed, dated and inscribed on the back of the frame.
Dimensions: 23 1/2 x 34 1/2 in. (sight), 25 x 36 in. (frame).
Conor Matthew Mccreedy (born 1987) is a contemporary artist, conservationist and collector based in Switzerland. In his work, his depiction of abstraction is linked to chaos theory. The colour blue is prominent in his works. He works in an expressionist manner.
Mccreedy was born in South Africa in 1987, to a South African mother and a French-Irish father. he grew up in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Kwa-Zulu Natal. He recalls painting at age four using his mother's makeup brush and coffee grounds. Later in his youth, he became a fashion model, working for fashion houses including Calvin Klein. He also attended Hilton College. In 2006, Mccreedy earned a golf scholarship to attend Barton College in North Carolina. Mccreedy dropped out of art school at the Pratt Institute in New York City to pursue an independent art career in 2007. After dropping out of college, Mccreedy began selling his artwork on the streets of Union Square in New York City. After marketing manager Mick Rock noticed Mccreedy's work in a gallery, he urged him to talk to Aldon James Jr., the President of the National Arts Club, a private club. Mccreedy held his first solo exhibition here, titled Outliers, making him the youngest artist to have had a solo exhibition at the venue The exhibition was composed of wildlife photography that he took in South Africa and African safari influenced paintings. Subjects range from abstract images of the ocean to figurative renderings of women and African animals, painted on surfaces that include linen, wooden boards and canvases. Mccreedy has recently begun to work in sculpture.
This work is kind of Yves Klein meets Peter Beard. In 2011, he was commissioned by Time Warner to paint a version of its logo for a launch party using his "Mccreedyblue" colour. The colour used in all of his paintings is a combinations of five different blue pigments. In 2012 he produced the "African Ocean" exhibition at the Charles Bank Gallery, as a part of the Witness Hilton Arts Festival at Hilton College, and Selected Works, 2006–2012, at Ernie Els' estate in Stellenbosch.
Commissions of Mccreedy's work include abstract murals painted in private New York City establishments such as the Soho House Hotel and the penthouse of the Bowery Hotel. In 2014, he had a solo exhibition at Gallery Proarta.
Solo exhibitions:
"Outliers" National Arts Club. New York City, 2010.
"African Ocean" Elizabeth Street, Charles Bank Gallery New York City, 2012.[18]
"Mcreedyblue" ProArta Galerie, Zurich, 2014.
"Mccreedyblue" Cat Street Gallery, Hong Kong, 2015.
"Chiaroscuro Abstract Portraits" HG Guggenheim Contemporary, New York City, 2016.
"Splash Paintings" Askeri Gallery, Moscow, 2017.
"Feelings" Askeri Gallery, Moscow, 2018.
"Wild life Alter Ego" NetJets VIP Collector Lounge. Basel Switzerland, 2023.
In 2015, his new work formed the exhibition Mccreedyblue, held in Hong Kong, China at the Cat Street Gallery. He also held solo exhibitions in Zurich and Palm Beach. John Cole-Morgan of the South African stated of his Hong Kong exhibition that Mccreedy's work was "powerful, dynamic and genuinely hypnotic". He has stated in several interviews that Pablo Picasso is one of his largest influences. Some of his pieces have been inspired by former South African president Nelson Mandela and the end of Apartheid in South Africa. His first Asian solo exhibition was opened in 2015. His paintings have sold for up to US$150,000.
He is actively doing charity work. During Art Basel, Switzerland in 2017, Mccreedy donated his small Houses of Parliament, London painting to the UNAIDS, United Nations foundation. The painting was auctioned off during the opening night gala dinner in Basel. Mccreedy is the founder of Protecting African Lions, an NPO set up to protecting the declining wild lion population. Proceeds from the sale of his small 'Splash Painting' went to cerebral palsy causes, part of the Gracious Hearts Foundation. The painting was titled 'Feelings' The auction was held at Christie's in London and was auctioned off by Simon de Pury. He donated a small 'Angel Painting' to Ellerman House, Art Angels Foundation. The foundation is based in his home country. South Africa. It is an annual charity party to benefit the Click Foundation. In 2023, Mccreedy collaborated with Swiss jewellery designer Suzanne Syz...
Category
2010s Modern Peter Max Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Acrylic
Autumn Tamaracks
Sunset (Framed Aerial Lanscape Photograph of Green Forest)
By John Griebsch
Located in Hudson, NY
Framed aerial landscape photograph of pine green forest and warm yellow sunset
''Autumn Tamaracks & Sunset'
Archival digital print, Edition of 25
Image size 18 X 12 inches unframed
...
Category
Early 2000s Contemporary Peter Max Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Digital Pigment, Acrylic
$950
H 24.25 in W 18.25 in D 1.5 in
Peter Max photography for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Peter Max photography available for sale on 1stDibs.
Artists Similar to Peter Max
Questions About Peter Max Photography
- Where is Peter Max from?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Peter Max is originally from Berlin, Germany. During World War II, his family lived in Shanghai, China. As an adult, the artist lived in Haifa, Israel; Paris, France; and New York, New York. You can shop a range of Peter Max art on 1stDibs.
- Who is Peter Max?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Peter Max is an artist known for creating colorful pop art compositions. He was born on October 19, 1937, in Berlin, Germany, and eventually made Brooklyn, New York his home. Some of his most famous works include Without Borders, Blushing Beauty, Better World and Love. Shop a range of Peter Max art on 1stDibs.
- Where was Peter Max born?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024Peter Max was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1937. However, he spent the first part of his childhood in Shanghai, China, after his parents emigrated from Germany to flee the Nazis. While there, Max developed his deep interest in American pop culture, namely comic books, jazz and cinema. Shop a collection of Peter Max art on 1stDibs.
- Is Peter Max still painting?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022No, Peter Max is no longer painting. Reportedly, he stopped painting in 2015 due to health problems. Some of the artist's most famous works include Without Borders, Blushing Beauty, Better World, Deco Lady and Flag with Heart. Find a variety of Peter Max art on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The kind of art that is associated with Peter Max is colorful and bold — the psychedelic Pop art that characterizes the majority of the German-born American artist's paintings and prints owes to an interest in comic books, jazz and films that he developed in his youth. Max's work is also informed by his experience with synesthesia, a sensory condition that causes him to see music and hear color. Find a collection of original Peter Max art on 1stDibs.
- What media did Peter Max use?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Peter Max uses a variety of media to produce his colorful compositions. Many of his pieces are paintings. He also produces collages, prints, sculptures, digital art and films. During the course of his career, he received commissions to create posters for the Super Bowl, the Grammys and the U.S. Open. Shop a collection of Peter Max art on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Peter Max is best known for producing vibrant, bold paintings that draw inspiration from psychedelic and pop art. His famous works like Without Borders, Blushing Beauty, Better World and Love are popular contemporary wall art and are often sold as prints and posters. Shop a selection of Peter Max art on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024To tell if a Peter Max is real, conduct research using trusted online resources. For paintings, you can compare the artist's signature on your piece to images of authentic paintings. Signature comparisons can also be useful when authenticating prints, as can comparing the image size and numbering to information shared in reputable catalogues. Because there are many convincing counterfeits of the artist's work, you may wish to have a certified appraiser or knowledgeable art dealer assist you with the authentication process. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of Peter Max art.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021How much a Peter Max painting is worth will be determined by its condition, the presence of a signature, size and other factors. Born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin in 1937, psychedelic Pop art icon Peter Max spent the first part of his childhood in Shanghai after his parents emigrated from Germany to flee the Nazis. While there, Max developed a deep interest in American pop culture — namely comic books, jazz and cinema — that would inform his bold and graphic paintings. His prints can be found for less than approximately $1,000 but his paintings have sold for between $10,000 and $20,000 over the years. Find original Peter Max paintings on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Peter Max's connection to the Statue of Liberty is that he created multiple paintings of the famous landmark. He made the first one for America's Bicentennial on July 4, 1976. You can shop a range of Peter Max art on 1stDibs.
More Peter Max Art
Peter Max Prints and Multiples
Peter Max Mixed Media
Peter Max Paintings
Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Peter Max Sculptures
Peter Max Figurative Prints
Peter Max Landscape Prints
Peter Max Portrait Prints
Peter Max Figurative Paintings
Peter Max Portrait Paintings
Peter Max Interior Prints
Peter Max Abstract Prints