Artist: Peter Max
Title: Walking in Reeds (Version I, #77)
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Year: 2018
Canvas Size: 16" x 20"
Frame Size: 28.5" x 32.25" x 3.75"
Inscription: Signed "Max" and dated on front lower left
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity. Peter Max Studio Registration # 402360
Peter Max's original painting on canvas, "Walking in Reeds (Version I, #77)" presents a vivid exploration of color and texture that reflects the artist's mature painterly style. Created in 2018, the composition features expressive, heavy brushstrokes and a radiant palette of purple, pink, golden yellow, and deep teal. These colors flow together to form an energetic surface that conveys a sense of movement and emotional resonance.
In this work, Max captures the essence of his late-period creativity, combining bold color fields with fluid, gestural marks that suggest the motion of a figure immersed in a natural setting. The title invites contemplation of the act of walking through reeds as both a literal and symbolic journey, aligning with Max's lifelong interest in themes of harmony, reflection, and transcendence. The rhythmic layering of paint lends a sculptural quality to the canvas, while the interplay of light and shadow creates depth and vitality within the composition.
"Walking in Reeds (Version I, #77)" is signed "Max" and recorded under Peter Max Studios Registration #402360, confirming its authenticity and provenance. Measuring 16 x 20 inches on canvas and 28.5 x 32.25 x 3.75 inches framed, this original painting is accompanied by a Gallery Certificate of Authenticity from Modern Artifact.
About Peter Max
Peter Max (b. 1937, Berlin, Germany) is a German-American artist renowned for his vibrant use of color, cosmic imagery, and influential role in the Pop Art movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Widely celebrated for his bold graphic style and psychedelic palette, Max became one of the most recognizable artists of the postwar era, bridging fine art, commercial design, and popular culture.
After emigrating with his family from Nazi Germany to Shanghai, and later to Israel, France, and the United States, Max settled in New York City, where he studied at the Art Students League. His education in classical painting techniques combined with a fascination for modern design, mass media, and Eastern philosophy shaped his distinctive aesthetic. By the late 1960s, Max had become a household name through his posters, album covers, and advertisements that embodied the optimism and countercultural energy of the era.
Max's signature imagery—radiant sunbursts, celestial figures, and patriotic motifs—reflects a synthesis of spiritual symbolism and American iconography. In the decades that followed, his work evolved into an enduring celebration of color and freedom, seen in his "Cosmic Series," "Statue of Liberty" paintings, and numerous portraits of American presidents and cultural icons.
Over his prolific career, Peter Max's art has been exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide and has appeared on everything from postage stamps to airplanes. His legacy is not only defined by his technical innovation and distinctive visual language but also by his influence on contemporary graphic design and visual culture.
Today, Peter Max remains an essential figure in modern American art, his work continuing to captivate audiences through its fusion of color, optimism, and the limitless spirit of imagination.
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