Peter Max Signed Flag Mixed Media Original Painting over Lithograph

Artist: Peter Max
Title: Flag
Medium: Mixed Media on Paper
Size: 18" x 23.5"
Year: c. 2000-2010
Inscription: Signed "Max" on front
Documentation: Includes gallery certificate of authenticity, label on verso
Peter Max Studio Registration number: Reg # 203951 (100574.1757)

Peter Max's "Flag" (c. 2000–2010) is a striking example of the artist's continued engagement with American iconography and his ability to merge national symbols with a distinctly expressive visual language. The work reflects Max's sustained interest in cultural identity and collective optimism, themes that became central to his mature practice following the success of his Pop Art career in the 1960s and 1970s. Throughout the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Max frequently revisited the American flag motif not only as a patriotic emblem but as a canvas for emotional resonance and artistic re-interpretation.

The composition presents the American flag at the center, depicted in its recognizable stripes and stars but transformed through Max's bold approach to color and mark-making. Surrounding the flag are wide, painterly passages of green and teal, creating a chromatic field that both frames and pushes forward the central symbol. These atmospheric patches of color are applied in layered swaths, lending visual movement and a sense of depth that underscores the textured, hand-painted character of the work. The contrast between the vivid flag and its expressive surrounding space reinforces a tension between structure and spontaneity, an important dynamic in Max's artistic style.

The work measures 18 by 23.5 inches and is executed in mixed media on paper. It is signed "Max" on the front, and it is registered under Peter Max Studio Registration Number 203951 (100574.1757). The piece includes a gallery certificate of authenticity and a label on the verso, ensuring documented provenance. Gallery photographs may show framing intended only as inspiration, and not all works are framed exactly as pictured. Collectors with questions regarding a specific frame or presentation are encouraged to inquire for clarification.

"Flag" serves as an expressive and compelling interpretation of a national emblem rendered through Peter Max's unmistakable artistic language. By merging patriotic imagery with gestural paintwork and saturated color, Max offers a work that is both visually impactful and emblematic of his long-standing influence on contemporary American art.

About Peter Max

Peter Max is a contemporary artist whose work has become inseparable from the visual and cultural history of late twentieth century America. Born in Berlin in 1937 and later becoming an American citizen, Max developed an artistic language defined by intense color, dynamic form, and symbolic imagery that reflects both personal experience and broader cultural narratives.

Max's artistic development was shaped by an unusually international upbringing. After leaving Germany during the war, he spent formative years in Shanghai, where exposure to Asian aesthetics and spiritual traditions influenced his sense of rhythm, pattern, and symbolism. His family later settled in Israel, where Max studied art before continuing his education in Paris. There, he received rigorous academic training that grounded his expressive instincts in classical draftsmanship.

Upon settling in New York City in the late 1950s, Max encountered a rapidly evolving art world. During the 1960s, his work gained widespread recognition for its vibrant, psychedelic imagery, which resonated with the ideals of peace, exploration, and cultural transformation. Although frequently linked to Pop Art, Max's paintings distinguish themselves through their emotional intensity and cosmic themes rather than commercial critique.

Peter Max's paintings are characterized by fluid lines, layered compositions, and a luminous color palette that suggests movement and expansion. His recurring motifs include celestial forms, abstracted human figures, and iconic American symbols. The Statue of Liberty, in particular, appears repeatedly in his work as a vehicle for exploring freedom, identity, and national aspiration.

Beyond painting, Max has produced a substantial body of printmaking and public art. His work has been commissioned for major events and exhibitions, and his imagery has reached a broad audience through both institutional and popular contexts. Museums and collectors have recognized his contributions as significant to the development of contemporary American visual culture.

Peter Max's legacy rests on his ability to merge accessibility with artistic ambition. His work continues to attract scholarly interest and public appreciation, offering a visual language rooted in optimism, imagination, and the transformative power of art.