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Artwork dossier: Posters

The full record of Posters

Peter Max, Posters. Reproduced for reference; rights reserved by the rights holder. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

Posters artwork fact sheet

Artist
Peter Max originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/peter-max/
Artist’s dates
1937 – 2026
Movement
Pop Art Art made from advertising, comics and packaging, treating supermarket images as worth a gallery wall.

In context

Posters — Peter Max

When might this have been painted?

  1. 1930
  2. 1940
  3. 1950
  4. 1960
  5. 1970
  6. 1980
  7. 1990
  8. 2000
  9. 2010
  10. 2020

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 89 at death.

Shaded: the lifetime of Peter Max (1937–2026) every dated painting, decade by decade

This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?

Compare with

  • Flag, 1954 originaluniqueart.com/en/art/peter-max-flag-AE3ND2-en/
  • Head large originaluniqueart.com/en/art/peter-max-head-large-AE3ND5-en/
  • Statue of Liberty originaluniqueart.com/en/art/peter-max-statue-of-liberty-BCYV2C-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/peter-max-posters-AE3NDD-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Putty #d5dbe1

    Catalogued palette

    • #D5DBE1
    • #335D64
    • #CAD526
    • #E96C82

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Palette
    Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
    Main colour name
    Putty
    Intensity
    Vivid How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Discordant Palette How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Brilliant How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Vivid Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Peter Max over the last twelve months — 6 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 United Kingdom 38.5%500 visits
    2. 2 China 30.8%400 visits
    3. 3 Germany 7.7%100 visits
    4. 4 South Korea 7.7%100 visits
    5. 5 Netherlands 7.7%100 visits
    6. 6 United States of America 7.7%100 visits

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 10 most looked-at works by Peter Max

    1. 1 Girl 27.3%900 visits
    2. 2 Peace sign 21.2%700 visits
    3. 3 Head large 12.1%400 visits
    4. 4 Runner 9.1%300 visits
    5. 5 Liberty head 6.1%200 visits
    6. 6 Statue of Liberty 6.1%200 visits
    7. 7 Sunshine daydream 6.1%200 visits
    8. 8 Love 6.1%200 visits
    9. 9 Posters this painting 3.0%100 visits
    10. 10 Untitled (648) 3.0%100 visits

    Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 24 works by this artist, of which 10 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 9 of them, with 3.0% of that attention (100 visits). The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Peter Max

    Born in Berlin, Germany

    A Journey Through Color and Culture

    Born Peter Max Finkelstein in Berlin, Germany, the artist's early life was marked by significant movement. Following the shadows of Nazi Germany, his family sought refuge in Shanghai, China, in 1938. This period of immersion in Chinese culture, including the sights and traditions of Buddhist temples, left a lasting impression on his perspective. The family later moved to Haifa, Israel, in 1948, where Max began formal art training under Professor Hünik, a Viennese Expressionist. After a brief time in Paris, where he studied Fauvism at the Louvre, the family settled in Brooklyn, New York, in 1953. He later refined his skills at the Art Students League of New York and the School of Visual Arts, studying anatomy and composition under Frank J. Reilly.

    Artistic Evolution and Iconic Imagery

    In 1962, Max co-founded The Daly & Max Studio in Manhattan, producing advertising art and illustrations that utilized antique photographic images. His work became synonymous with the 1960s, characterized by a style featuring vibrant colors, psychedelic imagery, and cosmic themes inspired by astronomy. He achieved mainstream popularity through the 1968 7-Up advertising campaign. His diverse portfolio includes:

    Max's subjects often included celestial imagery, floral motifs, and portraits of prominent figures, such as various U.S. presidents and Taylor Swift. He served as the official artist for major events, including the Grammy Awards and the Super Bowl. Throughout his career, he remained a prolific creator, exploring various media and even designing livery for aircraft.

    Peter Max study guide: keep exploring

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for Posters

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/peter-max-posters-AE3NDD-en/

    Citing this artwork: Posters

    MLA
    Max, Peter. Posters. n.d., https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/peter-max-posters-AE3NDD-en/
    APA
    Max, Peter (n.d.). Posters [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/peter-max-posters-AE3NDD-en/
    Chicago
    Peter Max. Posters. n.d. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/peter-max-posters-AE3NDD-en/
    Harvard
    Max, Peter (n.d.) Posters. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/peter-max-posters-AE3NDD-en/

    For art students and researchers

    Posters — Peter Max

    Close-looking art worksheet on Posters, for students and researchers

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 1 — do you agree?)
    4. Our catalogue files this work under: psychedelic, space, cosmos. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    5. Look back at Flag (1954), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Questions & Answers

    What art movement does "Posters" by Peter Max belong to?

    "Posters" is a work of Pop Art. The movement indicates the artistic tradition the work is part of.

    What is the dominant color of "Posters" by Peter Max?

    putty (#d5dbe1) is the leading color of "Posters" by Peter Max.

    Can the image of "Posters" by Peter Max be freely reproduced?

    "Posters" by Peter Max is still protected by copyright. This status governs how the image of the work may be reproduced.

    Are the colors of "Posters" by Peter Max saturated or muted?

    The palette of "Posters" is vivid color in saturation.

    Is there a slideshow for "Posters" by Peter Max?

    A slideshow is available: the Diaporama page of "Posters" by Peter Max.

    All the questions and answers about Posters