Alex Katz Bicycle Rider Signed Lithograph Edition of 250

Artist: Alex Katz (American, b. 1927)
Title: Bicycle Rider
Medium: Seventeen-color Lithograph on Arches Cover Paper
Year: 1982
Sheet Size: 22 x 30 inches (55.9 x 76.2 cm)
Edition: 4/250, plus 25 artist's proofs
Publisher: New York Graphic Society
Printer: Siena Studio, New York
Signature: Signed and numbered in graphite at lower left
Literature: Schroder 154; Maravell 130
Documentation: Gallery Certificate of Authenticity

Alex Katz's "Bicycle Rider" is a seventeen-color lithograph created in 1982, reflecting the artist's distinctive approach to portraiture and contemporary urban life. The composition depicts a cyclist riding against a backdrop of green foliage, a subject that demonstrates Katz's ability to translate ordinary moments into vibrant, distilled images. Through the use of bold color and flattened form, the work captures both motion and stillness, qualities central to Katz's broader practice.

This impression is numbered 4/250 and signed by the artist in graphite at the lower left corner, underscoring its authenticity and status as part of a limited edition. It is accompanied by a gallery Certificate of Authenticity, which documents its provenance and confirms the artist's direct involvement in its production. "Bicycle Rider" is included in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, attesting to its significance within Katz's oeuvre and within the history of late twentieth-century American printmaking. The work was also featured in the exhibition Facing the Figure: Selected Works from the Collection, 1962–2007 at The Met, situating it within a larger dialogue on contemporary approaches to figuration. "Bicycle Rider" is confirmed in Katz' catalog of printed works: Schroder 154; Maravell 130.

As a subject, the solitary figure in motion exemplifies Katz's continued exploration of how images of everyday life can be transformed into enduring statements on modern experience. Its recognition by major institutions underscores its place in the narrative of American art of the postwar era.

About Alex Katz

Alex Katz (b. 1927, Brooklyn, New York) is a distinguished American figurative artist celebrated for his bold, large-scale portraits and landscapes. His work merges elements of realism and abstraction, characterized by flat planes of color, simplified forms, and a keen sense of composition. Over his extensive career, Katz has become a pivotal figure in contemporary art, with his works held in numerous prestigious public collections worldwide.

Education and Early Career
Katz studied at the Cooper Union School of Art in New York from 1946 to 1949 and at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine in 1949–1950. His early exposure to modernist trends and his interactions with poets and artists in New York City significantly influenced his artistic development.

Exhibition History
Since 1951, Katz's work has been featured in over 250 solo exhibitions and nearly 500 group exhibitions internationally. Notable solo exhibitions include:

- Guggenheim Museum, New York (2022) – Alex Katz: Gathering
- Museum of Modern Art, New York (2024) – Alex Katz: Seasons
- Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (1986) – Alex Katz: Retrospective
- Brooklyn Museum, New York (1988) – Alex Katz: A Print Retrospective
- Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine – Permanent Collection
- High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia
- Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts
- Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois
- Tate Modern, London, UK
- Saatchi Gallery, London, UK (1998) – Alex Katz: Twenty-Five Years of Painting

These exhibitions reflect Katz's enduring influence and the broad appreciation of his work across different cultures and time periods.

Public Collections
Katz's works are held in over 100 public collections worldwide, including

- The Museum of Modern Art, New York
- The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
- The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York
- The Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois
- The High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia
- The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Tate Modern, London, UK
- The Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine

Artistic Style and Influence
Katz's distinctive style is marked by its clarity, economy of form, and vibrant color palette. His portraits often depict friends, family, and figures from the New York art scene, while his landscapes capture the changing seasons and urban environments. Influenced by both modernist abstraction and classical portraiture, Katz's work bridges the gap between tradition and innovation.

Legacy
Alex Katz continues to be an active and influential figure in the art world. His contributions to contemporary art have been recognized through numerous exhibitions, acquisitions, and scholarly studies. Katz's ability to distill complex human experiences into simple, elegant forms ensures his place as a central figure in the narrative of modern American art.