Artist: Peter Max
Title: Umbrella Man
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on Paper
Dimensions: 32" x 24"
Year: 1999
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 "Umbrella Man" (1999) presents one of the artist's most iconic figures, rendered with his distinctive blend of bold color and expressive brushwork. The composition features Max's signature silhouette of a lone figure beneath an umbrella, a recurring subject that has become emblematic of his career.
In this work, color plays a central role. The background is softened in tones of violet, periwinkle, blue, and pink, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that allows the central figure to emerge with striking clarity. The subject itself is painted in more saturated, vibrant hues, lending weight and presence to the form. Max's confident, sweeping brushstrokes imbue the composition with a sense of energy and immediacy, while his layered application of paint provides texture and depth.
The juxtaposition of the softer background against the bold figure highlights Max's mastery of contrast—both in palette and in emotional resonance. The "Umbrella Man" motif, here realized at a substantial 32 by 24 inches, embodies themes of solitude, reflection, and resilience, while at the same time showcasing Max's unique visual language.
This original painting bears the artist's hand-signed signature "Max" on the bottom front, underscoring its authenticity. Extensive documentation accompanies the work, including the original Peter Max studio label with Studio Number affixed to the back and written confirmation of the Studio Number from the Peter Max Studio.
With its striking interplay of color and form, "Umbrella Man" stands as a vivid example of Max's enduring style and the timeless appeal of his most celebrated imagery.
About Peter Max
Peter Max was born Peter Max Finkelstein on October 19, 1937, in Berlin, Germany, to Jewish parents. His early childhood was marked by displacement; the family fled Nazi Germany and eventually settled in Shanghai, China. In Shanghai, Max was exposed to a diverse mix of artistic and cultural influences, which contributed to his later interest in visual expression. In 1948, following the Chinese Civil War, Max's family emigrated to Israel and then, two years later, to the United States, where they settled in Brooklyn, New York.
From a young age, Max showed an interest in drawing and painting. He studied at the Art Students League of New York, where he received formal training that emphasized traditional drawing techniques and composition. Max furthered his education at the Parsons School of Design, where he explored commercial art and graphic design, skills that would later inform his approach to both fine art and applied art. Early in his career, he worked as a freelance illustrator, producing artwork for magazines, advertising campaigns, and book covers, gaining experience in a range of media.
Max's work emerged during the 1960s, a period defined by cultural experimentation, social change, and the rise of psychedelic art. He became associated with the pop art movement and gained attention for his use of bright, saturated colors, bold lines, and cosmic imagery. His style often incorporated elements of expressionism, surrealism, and Art Deco, creating compositions that emphasized visual energy and vivid, graphic appeal. Notable motifs in his work include celestial forms, stylized landscapes, cosmic patterns, and symbolic references to peace, love, and social consciousness.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Max's work reached a wide audience through posters, album covers, and commercial projects. He produced illustrations for major magazines and developed poster art for events and causes that were part of the countercultural movement. His imagery was used on a range of products, from stationery to apparel, reflecting the period's integration of art into everyday life. By the late 1970s, Max had begun exhibiting in galleries and museums, solidifying his position within the contemporary art world while maintaining a broad popular appeal.
Max's artistic practice has spanned painting, printmaking, sculpture, and design. He has created limited edition prints, hand-colored lithographs, and mixed-media works, often producing series that explore recurring themes in color, form, and cosmic symbolism. His approach combines fine art techniques with elements of commercial production, reflecting an understanding of both aesthetic composition and mass appeal. Works by Max are included in public and private collections internationally, and his art has been exhibited in institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and other notable contemporary art venues.
In addition to his studio practice, Max has engaged with public art projects, including murals, commissions for civic spaces, and collaborations with organizations seeking visual identity or promotional work. He has also produced art for popular culture contexts, including television, film, and public events. Max's career reflects a sustained engagement with color, symbolism, and the intersection of fine art and popular culture, with his work continuing to be collected and studied for its distinctive visual language and historical context.
Peter Max resides in the United States and continues to work as a painter and printmaker. His career spans more than six decades, and his contributions illustrate the intersections of postwar American art, popular culture, and commercial design, providing insight into the visual and social currents of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
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