Peter Max Umbrella Man III Signed Hand Painted Acrylic Sculpture 12.5” 2018

Artist: Peter Max
Title: Umbrella Man (Ver.III #837)
Medium: Hand Painted Acrylic Sculpture
Dimensions: 12.25" x 8.5" x 4.5"
Year: 2018
Inscription: Hand signed and dated with studio registration number stamped on side
Peter Max Studio Registration number: 833938.0000
Documentation: Includes original gallery certificate of authenticity from Park West

Peter Max's "Umbrella Man" (Ver. III #837) is a 2018, hand-painted acrylic sculpture that extends one of the artist's most enduring figurative motifs into three-dimensional form. Measuring 12.25 × 8.5 x 4.5 inches, the work translates Max's established painted iconography into sculptural space, preserving the immediacy of gesture and chromatic intensity that define his studio practice. The figure, depicted from behind, holding an open umbrella, functions as an archetypal, anonymous presence, a compositional strategy Max has employed since the 1980s to emphasize color relationships and painterly surface over individual identity.

The sculpture's acrylic-painted surface foregrounds Max's characteristic handling of saturated hues and layered brushwork. Rather than modeling the figure through illusionistic shadow, Max relies on high-key contrasts and fluid transitions between tones, producing a rhythmic visual movement across the form. The umbrella, a recurring device in his oeuvre, operates both as a formal silhouette and as a symbolic structure—its curved canopy providing a unifying contour that organizes the composition while suggesting themes of protection, individuality, and quiet introspection.

This work belongs to a continuing series in which Max reinterprets two-dimensional subjects as tactile objects, reinforcing the dialogue between painting and sculpture in his later production. The piece is hand signed and dated, with the Peter Max Studio registration number 833938.0000 stamped on the side, and is accompanied by the original gallery certificate of authenticity from Park West Gallery. As part of the Umbrella Man sculptural sequence, Ver. III #837 demonstrates Max's sustained investigation into how iconic imagery, color field dynamics, and expressive surface can be recontextualized within dimensional form while maintaining continuity with his broader visual language.

About Peter Max

Peter Max (b. 1937) is a German-born American artist widely recognized for his contributions to contemporary popular culture, graphic art, and the visual language of late twentieth-century American art. Associated with the vibrant aesthetic of the 1960s, Max became a central figure in the development of a bold, color-saturated style often linked to Pop Art and psychedelic art, though his practice draws equally from graphic design, illustration, and fine art painting. His work is noted for its use of radiant color gradients, cosmic imagery, and symbolic motifs that merge themes of space, freedom, and human aspiration.

Born in Berlin and raised in Shanghai, Israel, and Paris before settling in the United States, Max's international upbringing exposed him to diverse artistic traditions and visual cultures. He studied at the Art Students League of New York, where he developed a foundation in drawing and composition that later informed his distinctive visual vocabulary. During the 1960s and 1970s, his imagery became widely disseminated through posters, album covers, publications, and media appearances, establishing him as a prominent figure in American visual culture.

Peter Max's practice extends beyond studio painting to include large-scale public commissions, portraiture, and projects connected to cultural and civic institutions. His work frequently engages themes of environmental awareness, peace, and global unity, reflecting an interest in art's communicative and symbolic potential. Over the course of his career, Max has maintained a prolific output across painting, mixed media, and graphic formats, contributing to his enduring visibility in both fine art and popular visual discourse.