Lot 298
Peter Max (American, b. Germany 1937). "Penneys" color lithograph, 1969. Hand-signed and dated near bottom edge. A vivid collision of commerce and counterculture, "Penneys" transforms a department store catalog into a psychedelic proclamation of 1969. Designed as an advertisement for JC Penneys, the poster announces "Special Edition with Groovy Kid Stuff" in bold, undulating type that feels less like retail copy and more like a rock concert marquee. Electric gradients shift from lime green to sunset orange and pink, framing a dreamlike central figure in motion, coat flaring, hair flowing, clutching a bouquet that explodes into stylized blooms. Peter Max emerged in the 1960s as one of the most recognizable visual architects of the Pop Art generation. While artists like Warhol probed consumer culture with irony, Max embraced it with exuberance. His saturated palette, cosmic themes, and fluid contours became synonymous with the optimism and spectacle of the late 1960s. Size of lithograph: 23.5" W x 35.5" H (59.7 cm x 90.2 cm); of frame: 26" W x 38" H (66 cm x 96.5 cm)
Corporations quickly recognized that his imagery captured the imagination of youth culture, and commissions such as this JC Penneys advertisement reflect the moment when psychedelic art moved from the underground to the mainstream marketplace.
The typography, symmetrical framing devices, and kaleidoscopic color fields demonstrate Max's graphic precision, shaped by his background in commercial illustration and design. Yet the work never feels merely commercial. Instead, it radiates the buoyant idealism of its era, when even a department store catalog could promise liberation through style.
Signed and dated 69, with a later inscription dated 96, this color lithograph stands as both a Pop Art collectible and a cultural artifact of a time when love, youth, and consumer fantasy shared the same luminous stage.
About the artist: Born in Berlin, Peter Max moved frequently with his family, living in more than six countries until they settled in the United States. Max studied in New York City at the Art Students League, the Pratt Institute, and the School of Visual Art. Max has been revered as a visionary Pop Artist since the 1960's, beloved for his "Cosmic '60s" style which would later evolve to Neo Expressionism. Max developed a bold style of painting using striking Fauvist colors and intriguing themes. As he evolved from Pop to Neo-Expressionism, his work became more painterly and sensuous. Max's unique symbolism and vibrant color palette have continued to inspire new generations of Americans throughout the decades.
Provenance: private Boulder, Colorado, USA Collection
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#201349
- Condition: Mounted behind glass in custom frame; has not been examined outside of glass. Small areas of loss in each corner, as well as some losses and scuffs at lower areas. A few minor stains and some chips and abrasions to frame. Otherwise, nice imagery and colors. Hand-signed and dated near bottom edge. Suspension wire on verso for display.
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