Skip to main content

Morris Katz Art

Polish, 1932-2010
Morris Katz (born Moshe Katz on March 5, 1932 in Galicia, Poland, died November 12, 2010 at age 78 in The Bronx, New York) was a Jewish-American painter. He holds two Guinness World Records as the world's fastest painter and the world's most prolific artist. He has also been called the "King of Schlock Art" and the "King of Toilet Paper Art" because of a novel means of painting he developed using a palette knife and toilet tissue instead of a paintbrush. Katz was born in 1932 in Galicia, Poland. At age 13 he studied under Dr. Hans Fokler of the Munich Academy. After World War II, he lived for a while in a displaced persons camp, where he earned a diploma in carpentry, and he has since said that toilet paper is his "diploma in art." He moved to the United States in 1949, when he took a job in carpentry while maintaining a sideline with his art. While working on his unpublished Dictionary of Color in 1956, he decided to try painting with his palette knife instead of his brushes. After some time he also began experimenting with the use of rags; when he ran out of rags he turned to toilet tissue. As of February 2007, over his career he had painted more than 280,000 paintings. Over his long career, he has established himself as a painter, comedian, and television personality. Katz describes his method as "Instant Art," as he has completed entire paintings in as little as 30 seconds. In a 1987 event to benefit the Boy Scouts of America, Katz completed 103 paintings (selling 55 of them on the spot) in 12 hours. He is listed as a human oddity in Ripley's Believe It Or Not because of his ability to paint full works of art in less than five minutes.
to
2
14
12
5
2
2
1
1
“Flying kites on the beach”
“Flying kites on the beach”

“Flying kites on the beach”

By Morris Katz

Located in Warren, NJ

Morris Katz oil painting on board titled flying kites at the beach signed right corner bottom painting size 24 x 20 Frame 30 x 24 painting great condition frame has wear

Category

20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Morris Katz Seascape with Seagulls Textured Oil in Silver Frame, Signed 1973
Morris Katz Seascape with Seagulls Textured Oil in Silver Frame, Signed 1973

Morris Katz Seascape with Seagulls Textured Oil in Silver Frame, Signed 1973

By Morris Katz

Located in Plainview, NY

Morris Katz Seascape with Seagulls Textured Oil in Silver Frame, Signed 1973 An expressive seascape oil painting by Morris Katz American (b 1931 – d. 2010), signed and dated 1973 i...

Category

1970s American Modern Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

“tour master”
“tour master”

“tour master”

By Morris Katz

Located in Warren, NJ

Morris Katz Original Painting On Board. In good condition measures 32x27

Category

20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Morris Katz Set of Three of Original Seascape Oil Paintings C.2001
Morris Katz Set of Three of Original Seascape Oil Paintings C.2001

Morris Katz Set of Three of Original Seascape Oil Paintings C.2001

By Morris Katz

Located in San Francisco, CA

Morris Katz (Ukraine / New York 1931-2010) Set of Three of Original Seascape Oil Paintings c.2001 A nice collection of original oil paintings by Morris Katz. Seagulls flying over crashing waves. Each painting measures 5" x 7" One frame measures 7" x 9" The other two frames measure 8" x 10" Signed, dated and framed by Morris Katz Very good vintage condition Offered as a matching trio only Morris Katz (born Moshe Katz on March 5, 1932 – November 12, 2010) was a Polish-American painter. He holds two Guinness World Records as the world's fastest painter and the world's most prolific artist. He has also been called the "King of Schlock Art" and the "King of Toilet Paper Art" because of a novel means of painting he developed using a palette knife and toilet tissue...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

“Bullfighter”
“Bullfighter”

“Bullfighter”

By Morris Katz

Located in Warren, NJ

Morris Katz Original Painting on Board “Bullfighter” 70x45. In good condition

Category

20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

“Camels by the River”
“Camels by the River”

“Camels by the River”

By Morris Katz

Located in Warren, NJ

Morris Katz Original Painting On Board “Camels by the River”. In good condition measures 31x19

Category

20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Morris Katz painting 2002
Morris Katz painting 2002

Morris Katz painting 2002

By Morris Katz

Located in NEW YORK, NY

Morris Katz Painting 2002: Oil paint on wood board. Unique. 8x10 inches. Very good overall vintage condition. Polish born Morris Katz (1932 – 2010) survived World War II in a Disp...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Morris Katz Art

Materials

Wood, Oil

Red Roses, Late 20th Century Impasto Floral Still-Life, Record Breaking Artist
Red Roses, Late 20th Century Impasto Floral Still-Life, Record Breaking Artist

Red Roses, Late 20th Century Impasto Floral Still-Life, Record Breaking Artist

By Morris Katz

Located in Soquel, CA

Beautiful impasto still life of a vase of red and white roses on a table by Morris Katz (American, 1931-2010). Signed and dated "Morris Katz 1997" lower right. Presented in a gilt...

Category

1990s Contemporary Morris Katz Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

“Landscape”
“Landscape”

“Landscape”

By Morris Katz

Located in Warren, NJ

This is an MORRIS KATZ Original Oil Painting on board Signed Landscape 24x20. Unframed in good condition signed

Category

20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Acrylic

“Ocean scene”
“Ocean scene”

“Ocean scene”

By Morris Katz

Located in Warren, NJ

Morris katz oil painting 1978. In good condition measures 32x28

Category

20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

“Windmill”
“Windmill”

“Windmill”

By Morris Katz

Located in Warren, NJ

Morris Katz Original Painting On Board Watermill. In good condition measures 38x32

Category

20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Acrylic

Landscape with people fishing
Landscape with people fishing

Landscape with people fishing

By Morris Katz

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork "Landscape with People Fishing" 1978, is an oil painting on hard board by Polish/American artist Morris Katz, 1932-2010. It is signed and dated at the lower right corner by the artist. The artwork (Hard Board) size is 20 x 24 inches, framed size is 28 x 31.75 inches. Framed in original wooden gold frame, with fabric liner and gold trim. The artwork is in excellent condition, the frame is in very good condition. About the artist: On May 9th, 1988, the New York artist set a new world record by painting a 12- by 16-inch canvas of a child in the snow in just half a minute. (It took an additional eight seconds to frame it.) And that wasn’t the only distinction granted to Katz by the Guinness Book of World Records—his name appeared alongside Pablo Picasso’s under the heading for “Most Prolific Painters.” The Spanish master is estimated to have completed some 13,500 paintings in his life; when Katz died in 2010 at age 78, he was credited with 225,000. Katz’s preposterously productive career began in the small Polish village where he was born in 1932. He started studying under a German painter at age 13, but following World War II he earned a diploma in carpentry instead. In 1949, at the age of 17, he travelled to the United States. It was there that he picked up a paintbrush again, while studying at the Art Students League of New York and showing in the Village. “Soon, I decided I was good enough—compared to others, excellent enough—to make my living as an artist,” he said. It was during those years that he developed the techniques that would eventually land him in the record books. He tossed out his paintbrushes and replaced them with palette knives and toilet paper, which he used to stipple the paint. “Soon I picked up speed,” Katz said. “If you know which way you’re travelling, then you can run.” He made art in bulk, buying up canvases by the thousands and paint by the gallon. He went through some 10,000 rolls of toilet paper per year; he often wore out palette knives. Katz branded his method as “instant art.” Charles Salzberg, writing in New York magazine in 1978, urged readers, “Think of him, if you will, as the McDonald’s of the art world”—fast, cheap, and ubiquitous. He wore a green beret, paint-splattered pants, and a shirt emblazoned with the words “Morris Katz - World’s Most Prolific Artist.” It was a title that came with a price—he worked 18-hour days into his 60s, sometimes from his Greenwich Village studio and other times as a performer at hotels across the Catskills. He would often visit three different hotels in the same day, waking up at 7 a.m. and returning home as late as 1 a.m. His show was as much about the painting as it was the one-liners: “These are the highlights—you can tell because they’re high up on the painting,” he might say. Audiences gobbled up the jokes and the works, often paying less than $50 for a painting. “I give them a fresh painting like a fresh bagel,” he said. Photographer David M. Spindel first met Katz on assignment. “They’d call him mashugana—that’s the Yiddish word for a little bit crazy,” he told Artsy. The pair soon became friends, and Spindel ended up attending several of the artist’s hotel shows. “There were a lot of people from the hotel who were sitting in the room and he set up his easel and his toilet paper and paints and knocked out paintings one after another,” Spindel said. “Just a couple of minutes for each painting, usually. If he was kibitzing with the people in the audience then it took a lot longer. He was always clowning around.” His act was ready-made for television; he appeared on 60 Minutes, David Letterman, and Oprah, among other programs. And Katz didn’t just make instant art—he taught it as well. In 1987, the New Yorker sent a writer to attend one of his speed-painting classes at the Notre Dame School on West 79th Street. A dozen eager students watched in admiration as he whipped up a mountain landscape, asking for advice on how, exactly, to hold their toilet paper for maximum artistic effect. For those who couldn’t make it to Manhattan for a lesson, he published a book—Paint Good & Fast (1985)—with a title as straightforward as his philosophy on art. “Life goes faster and faster,” he wrote. “The fine arts must keep pace. This art will one day be...

Category

Late 20th Century American Impressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Related Items
mr. c and gladys, bright colorful man and dog

mr. c and gladys, bright colorful man and dog

By Stephen Basso

Located in Brooklyn, NY

*ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought provoking fantasies. His whimsical works are alive with boundless imagina...

Category

2010s American Modern Morris Katz Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

La Parisienne - Impressionist Portrait Oil Painting by Jean Beraud
La Parisienne - Impressionist Portrait Oil Painting by Jean Beraud

La Parisienne - Impressionist Portrait Oil Painting by Jean Beraud

By Jean Beraud 1

Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire

Signed full length portrait circa 1890 by French impressionist painter Jean Beraud. The work depicts a Parisian lady in a green tuile skirt, a blue jacket with fur and black lace up ...

Category

1890s Impressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

A 1950s, Modern Western Painting, Cowboys Wrangling Cattle by Francis Chapin
A 1950s, Modern Western Painting, Cowboys Wrangling Cattle by Francis Chapin

A 1950s, Modern Western Painting, Cowboys Wrangling Cattle by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

A lively 1950s Mid-Century Modern Western landscape painting with cowboys wrangling cattle by famed Chicago artist, Francis Chapin. Most likely a working study for a larger painting...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Morris Katz Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Shadow marshes. Richard K Blades. Painting of sea at sunset. Turner influence.
Shadow marshes. Richard K Blades. Painting of sea at sunset. Turner influence.

Shadow marshes. Richard K Blades. Painting of sea at sunset. Turner influence.

By Richard K Blades

Located in Coltishall, GB

A warm sunset over Norfolk's Cromer beach. Between Thoughts is a sublime oil painting that captures the mesmerizing tranquility of a sunset over thw North Sea. The horizon is ablaze...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Bloomsbury - original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art
Bloomsbury - original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art

Bloomsbury - original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art

By Michael Alford

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

A Cheerful 1950s, Modern City Park Scene with Horse & Carriage, "Rome Street"
A Cheerful 1950s, Modern City Park Scene with Horse & Carriage, "Rome Street"

A Cheerful 1950s, Modern City Park Scene with Horse & Carriage, "Rome Street"

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

A lively, colorful 1950s Mid-Century Modern city park scene with a horse & carriage ("Rome Street") by famed Chicago artist, Francis Chapin. Possibly a scene painted near the histor...

Category

Mid-20th Century American Modern Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Oxford Street - original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art
Oxford Street - original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art

Oxford Street - original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art

By Michael Alford

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Sakura at sunrise //abstrakt floristics oil painting / moody art / good vibes
Sakura at sunrise //abstrakt floristics oil painting / moody art / good vibes

Sakura at sunrise //abstrakt floristics oil painting / moody art / good vibes

By Vik Schroeder

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting captures the beauty of the awakening of nature. The touches of the oil palette embody the bright dance of the first rays of dawn, embracing delicate flowers. Thr...

Category

2010s Abstract Impressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Trafalgar Square, North -original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art
Trafalgar Square, North -original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art

Trafalgar Square, North -original impressionism oil painting-contemporary Art

By Michael Alford

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Orli Ziv, Jerusalem pink atmosphere, spirituality
Orli Ziv, Jerusalem pink atmosphere, spirituality

Orli Ziv, Jerusalem pink atmosphere, spirituality

By Orli Ziv

Located in Tel Aviv, IL

Orli Ziv, Jerusalem Pink atmosphere, oil on canvas, Jerusalem, expressionism, Israeli artist, Israeli art

Category

2010s Expressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil, Pigment

A Vibrant, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Painting of a Bull Fight by Francis Chapin
A Vibrant, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Painting of a Bull Fight by Francis Chapin

A Vibrant, 1950s Mid-Century Modern Painting of a Bull Fight by Francis Chapin

By Francis Chapin

Located in Chicago, IL

A vibrant, colorful, 1950s Mid-Century Modern painting of a matador and bull fight by notable Chicago artist, Francis Chapin. Oil on canvas, presented in a period, dark walnut brown...

Category

1950s American Modern Morris Katz Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Previously Available Items
1982 Morris Katz (1931–2010) Original Oil Painting Clown Impasto Palette Knife
1982 Morris Katz (1931–2010) Original Oil Painting Clown Impasto Palette Knife

1982 Morris Katz (1931–2010) Original Oil Painting Clown Impasto Palette Knife

By Morris Katz

Located in Palm Coast, FL

This original oil painting by renowned Polish-American artist Morris Katz (1931–2010) depicts his playful interpretation of Pinocchio, captured with his unmistakable palette knife te...

Category

1980s Impressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Morris Katz Floral Still Life Oil Painting Palette Knife Technique Gold Frame
Morris Katz Floral Still Life Oil Painting Palette Knife Technique Gold Frame

Morris Katz Floral Still Life Oil Painting Palette Knife Technique Gold Frame

By Morris Katz

Located in Palm Coast, FL

This vibrant oil painting by celebrated artist Morris Katz features a striking floral still life rendered with his signature impasto palette knife technique. Bold red and orange peta...

Category

Late 20th Century Realist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

“Snow scene”
“Snow scene”

Morris Katz“Snow scene”

Sold

H 17 in W 15 in

“Snow scene”

By Morris Katz

Located in Warren, NJ

Morris Katz original oil on board unique colors. Some minor frame wear . Measures 17x15

Category

20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

American Artist Morris Katz Large painting on board, Autumn Landscape, Signed
American Artist Morris Katz Large painting on board, Autumn Landscape, Signed

American Artist Morris Katz Large painting on board, Autumn Landscape, Signed

By Morris Katz

Located in Palm Coast, FL

This is a beautiful vintage original painting on cardboard, depicting a rural autumn landscape. Signed in a lower-right corner Morris Katz. Presented in a solid wood frame with ...

Category

20th Century Impressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

1974 Morris Katz Japanese Landscape
1974 Morris Katz Japanese Landscape

1974 Morris Katz Japanese Landscape

By Morris Katz

Located in San Francisco, CA

Morris Katz: 1932-2010. This has to be the finest Morris Katz painting we have ever owned. It is an oil on masonite measuring 36 inches wide by 24 high. It is unframed. It is signed ...

Category

1970s Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

American Abstract landscape 1971
American Abstract landscape 1971

American Abstract landscape 1971

By Morris Katz

Located in Douglas Manor, NY

3832 Impasto oil on board of an abstract landscape

Category

1970s Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Morris Katz Pair of Original Outdoor Landscape Oil Paintings C.1991
Morris Katz Pair of Original Outdoor Landscape Oil Paintings C.1991

Morris Katz Pair of Original Outdoor Landscape Oil Paintings C.1991

By Morris Katz

Located in San Francisco, CA

Morris Katz (Ukraine / New York 1931-2010) Pair of original oil paintings on masonite One shows a country landscape with a house - The other a coastal scene with seagull Each painting measures 9" wide x 12" high Each frame measures 10" wide x 13" high The paintings were done in 1991 Very good vintage condition Offered as a pair only Morris Katz (born Moshe Katz on March 5, 1932 – November 12, 2010) was a Polish-American painter. He holds two Guinness World Records as the world's fastest painter and the world's most prolific artist. He has also been called the "King of Schlock Art" and the "King of Toilet Paper Art" because of a novel means of painting he developed using a palette knife and toilet tissue...

Category

Late 19th Century Expressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Morris Katz Set of Three Natural Landscape Oil Paintings C.2001
Morris Katz Set of Three Natural Landscape Oil Paintings C.2001

Morris Katz Set of Three Natural Landscape Oil Paintings C.2001

By Morris Katz

Located in San Francisco, CA

Morris Katz (Ukraine / New York 1931-2010) Set of Three of Original Natural Landscape Oil Paintings c.2001 A nice collection of original oil paintings by Morris Katz. Trees and Flowers Each painting measures approximately 5" x 7" Signed, dated and framed by Morris Katz Very good vintage condition Offered as a matching trio only Morris Katz (born Moshe Katz on March 5, 1932 – November 12, 2010) was a Polish-American painter. He holds two Guinness World Records as the world's fastest painter and the world's most prolific artist. He has also been called the "King of Schlock Art" and the "King of Toilet Paper Art" because of a novel means of painting he developed using a palette knife and toilet tissue...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Morris Katz "Winter Ski Trip" Pair of Original Oil Paintings C.2001
Morris Katz "Winter Ski Trip" Pair of Original Oil Paintings C.2001

Morris Katz "Winter Ski Trip" Pair of Original Oil Paintings C.2001

By Morris Katz

Located in San Francisco, CA

Morris Katz (Ukraine / New York 1931-2010) Pair of original Winter ski trip oil paintings Skiers riding the slopes through the trees! Each painting measures 7" wide x 5" high Each oak frame measures 9" wide x 7" high The paintings were done in 2001 Very good vintage condition Offered as a pair only Morris Katz (born Moshe Katz on March 5, 1932 – November 12, 2010) was a Polish-American painter. He holds two Guinness World Records as the world's fastest painter and the world's most prolific artist. He has also been called the "King of Schlock Art" and the "King of Toilet Paper Art" because of a novel means of painting he developed using a palette knife and toilet tissue...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Oil

Morris Katz Pair of "Fall Colors on the Coast" Oil Paintings C.1991
Morris Katz Pair of "Fall Colors on the Coast" Oil Paintings C.1991

Morris Katz Pair of "Fall Colors on the Coast" Oil Paintings C.1991

By Morris Katz

Located in San Francisco, CA

Morris Katz (Ukraine / New York 1931-2010) Pair of original coastal forest with Fall colors landscape oil paintings Each painting measures 9" wide x 12" high Each oak frame measures 10" wide x 13" high The paintings were done in 1991 Very good vintage condition Offered as a pair only Morris Katz (born Moshe Katz on March 5, 1932 – November 12, 2010) was a Polish-American painter. He holds two Guinness World Records as the world's fastest painter and the world's most prolific artist. He has also been called the "King of Schlock Art" and the "King of Toilet Paper Art" because of a novel means of painting he developed using a palette knife and toilet tissue...

Category

Late 20th Century Expressionist Morris Katz Art

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Morris Katz Pair of Original Outdoor Landscape Oil Paintings C.1991
Morris Katz Pair of Original Outdoor Landscape Oil Paintings C.1991

Morris Katz Pair of Original Outdoor Landscape Oil Paintings C.1991

By Morris Katz

Located in San Francisco, CA

Morris Katz (Ukraine / New York 1931-2010) Pair of original oil paintings on masonite One shows a seagull flying over crashing waves, the other trees by a lake Each painting measures 9" wide x 12" high Each oak frame measures 10" wide x 13" high The paintings were done in 1991 Very good vintage condition - One painting (the seagull) shows a minor fleck of paint loss at the extreme upper edge. (see pics) Offered as a pair only Morris Katz (born Moshe Katz on March 5, 1932 – November 12, 2010) was a Polish-American painter. He holds two Guinness World Records as the world's fastest painter and the world's most prolific artist. He has also been called the "King of Schlock Art" and the "King of Toilet Paper Art" because of a novel means of painting he developed using a palette knife and toilet tissue...

Category

Late 20th Century Morris Katz Art

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Morris Katz art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Morris Katz art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Morris Katz in oil paint, paint, wood and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Morris Katz art, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Helena Malarewicz-Krajewska, Noel Howard, and Duane Albert Armstrong. Morris Katz art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $400 and tops out at $1,516, while the average work can sell for $545.

Artists Similar to Morris Katz