Peter Max God Bless America Mixed Media Original Painting 24x18 2002 with Signature, Label, and Studio Documentation

Artist: Peter Max
Title: God Bless America
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on Paper
Dimensions: 24" x 18"
Year: 2002
Inscription: Signed "Max" on the bottom front
Documentation: Includes Peter Max studio label with Studio number on back and confirmation of Studio Number from Peter Max Studio

Peter Max's "God Bless America" (2002) is an exceptional example of the artist's unmistakable style, showcasing both his mastery of bold color and his expressive, painterly technique. This original mixed media acrylic painting highlights Max's long-standing celebration of American icons, featuring a series of Statue of Liberty motifs rendered in striking red, white, and blue. These patriotic symbols are framed by a vivid, vibrant pink border, creating a composition that is both dynamic and deeply emblematic of Max's work.

Characteristic of Max's signature approach, the painting demonstrates his confident and heavy brushstrokes, infusing the imagery with energy and movement. The interplay of saturated color and expressive mark-making brings a sense of immediacy and optimism, qualities that have defined Max's career for decades. His ability to combine recognizable imagery with a visionary palette makes each of his original works instantly recognizable and enduringly impactful.

The mixed media painting is signed "Max" on the bottom front and is extensively documented to confirm its authenticity. It includes the official Peter Max studio label with Studio Number on the verso, as well as a confirmation of the Studio Number from the Peter Max Studio, ensuring complete verification of the work. Collectors will appreciate not only the painting's vibrant execution but also the thorough documentation accompanying it, underscoring its importance as an original piece within Max's celebrated oeuvre.

About Peter Max

Peter Max (b. 1937) is a German-American artist best known for his role in shaping the visual language of the 1960s and 1970s through his bold use of color, graphic line, and incorporation of popular culture. His career spans painting, printmaking, and design, and he remains one of the most widely recognized figures in American contemporary art, particularly for his association with the psychedelic art movement and the rise of mass-media-driven imagery.

Max was born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin, Germany. His early childhood was marked by geographic dislocation: his family fled Nazi Germany in 1938, first settling in Shanghai, where they remained for nearly a decade. This international upbringing, which later included stops in Israel, France, and ultimately the United States, exposed Max to a wide range of visual traditions. He eventually studied at the Art Students League of New York, where he received a foundation in traditional artistic training, including portraiture and figure drawing, before shifting toward a style that fused fine art with commercial aesthetics.

By the mid-1960s, Max emerged as a central figure in the burgeoning psychedelic art movement. His work drew from the flat, vibrant palette of Fauvism and the stylized forms of Pop Art, while incorporating cosmic imagery, flowing organic shapes, and dreamlike motifs. Posters and prints featuring his signature rainbow spectrum and cosmic themes gained immense popularity, making him a household name. In this period, his art became closely tied to the counterculture and youth movements of the time, often appearing in magazines, album covers, and advertising.

Max's commercial success extended into the 1970s and 1980s, when his work was widely reproduced and commissioned for national events. He created official artwork for six Super Bowls, the World Cup, the U.S. Open, and numerous music festivals. He was selected to design postage stamps for the United States Postal Service and produced commemorative imagery for the Statue of Liberty's centennial. His art often intersected with American political and cultural identity, including portraits of U.S. presidents and reinterpretations of patriotic symbols.

While Max's detractors have occasionally criticized the commercial ubiquity of his work, his ability to bridge fine art and mass culture has placed him within a lineage of artists such as Andy Warhol, who blurred boundaries between high and low art. Museums and galleries across the United States and abroad have exhibited his work, and his distinctive visual vocabulary has remained instantly recognizable across generations.

In later decades, Max's artistic practice continued to evolve, though his signature motifs of vibrant color fields and cosmic themes persisted. His influence is evident not only in the art market but also in graphic design, advertising, and popular culture, where his imagery continues to resonate.

Peter Max's career reflects the changing dynamics of American art in the second half of the twentieth century, particularly the integration of commercial media into the realm of fine art. His work stands as both a product of its cultural moment and a lasting symbol of the fusion of art, commerce, and mass communication.