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Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

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.

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Artist: Peter Max
Guardian Ver. II (framed original drawing on paper)
Guardian Ver. II (framed original drawing on paper)

Guardian Ver. II (framed original drawing on paper)

By Peter Max

Located in Aventura, FL

Original crayon and pencil drawing on paper. Hand signed and dated on front by Peter Max. Remarqued and hand signed on frame verso by Peter Max. Paper size: 6 x 7.8 inches. Frame...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media, Crayon, Pencil

Original Watercolor on Paper
Original Watercolor on Paper

Original Watercolor on Paper

By Peter Max

Located in Hollywood, FL

Artist: Peter Max Title: Untitled Original Watercolor on Paper Medium: Original Watercolor on Paper Signed: Hand Signed Measurements: Paper: 6" x 19" Frame: 19" x 32.5" Condition...

Category

1980s Contemporary Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Beach Umbrella"
"Beach Umbrella"

"Beach Umbrella"

By Peter Max

Located in Warren, NJ

Frame: 16.5 x 15.5 x 1 Picture: 6 x 4.5 Picture in excellent condition Frame has one big scratch and the rest is minor wear

Category

1980s Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

"Umbrella Man with 2 Sailboats"
"Umbrella Man with 2 Sailboats"

"Umbrella Man with 2 Sailboats"

By Peter Max

Located in Warren, NJ

Frame: 16.5 x 15.5 x 1 Picture: 6 x 4.5 Picture in excellent condition Frame is in “fair” condition

Category

1980s Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Lady Profile, Peter Max

Lady Profile, Peter Max

By Peter Max

Located in Fairfield, CT

Artist: Peter Max (1937) Title: Lady Profile Year: 1997 Medium: Pen and ink on archival paper Size: 13 x 14 inches Inscription: Hand signed PETER MAX (1937- ) Peter Max has achieved...

Category

1990s Pop Art Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Lady Profile, Peter Max
Lady Profile, Peter Max

Lady Profile, Peter Max

By Peter Max

Located in Fairfield, CT

Artist: Peter Max (1937) Title: Umbrella Man Year: 1997 Medium: Ink on archival paper Size: 13 x 14 inches Condition: Excellent Inscription: Signed by the artist PETER MAX (1937- ) ...

Category

1990s Pop Art Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Seated Man, Peter Max
Seated Man, Peter Max

Peter MaxSeated Man, Peter Max, 1980

$4,400Sale Price|20% Off

Seated Man, Peter Max

By Peter Max

Located in Fairfield, CT

Artist: Peter Max (1937) Title: Seated Man Year: 1980 Medium: Pen and ink on archival paper Size: 9 x 11.5 inches Inscription: Hand signed PETER MAX (1937- ) Peter Max has achieved ...

Category

1980s Pop Art Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Seated Man, Peter Max
Seated Man, Peter Max

Peter MaxSeated Man, Peter Max, 1980

$4,400Sale Price|20% Off

Seated Man, Peter Max

By Peter Max

Located in Fairfield, CT

Artist: Peter Max (1937) Title: Seated Man Year: 1980 Medium: Ink on archival paper Size: 9 x 11.5 inches Condition: Excellent Inscription: Signed by the artist PETER MAX (1937- ) P...

Category

1980s Pop Art Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink

Homage to Picasso, Group of 4 Pater Max Lithographs
Homage to Picasso, Group of 4 Pater Max Lithographs

Homage to Picasso, Group of 4 Pater Max Lithographs

By Peter Max

Located in Palm Desert, CA

These lithographs are from the series entitled, "Homage to Picasso" by Peter Max. The collection entails 4 etchings of nude scenes on woven paper. They are in a 1" custom frame and e...

Category

1990s Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paper

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Peter Max drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Peter Max drawings and watercolor paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing the collection of drawings and watercolor paintings to introduce a pop of color in a neutral corner of your living room or bedroom, you can find work that includes elements of blue and other colors. You can also browse by medium to find art by Peter Max in paint, watercolor, acrylic paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the Pop Art style. Not every interior allows for large Peter Max drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 12 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Guillaume Azoulay, Ronnie Cutrone, and Charles Pachter. Peter Max drawings and watercolor paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,000 and tops out at $7,500, while the average work can sell for $4,000.
Questions About Peter Max Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Peter 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Peter 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    Peter 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Peter 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 ExpertApril 5, 2022
    The 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    No, 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 ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Peter 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, 2024
    To 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, 2021
    How 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, 2022
    Peter 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.