What we know
What we know: The psychedelic pop artist Peter Max has died at 88, his son says
Compiled Sep 16
What we know
- Peter Max died at age 88, according to a statement from his son Adam Max.
- Max died on Monday; the statement was issued Wednesday.
- No cause of death was given.
- Max was born Peter Max Finkelstein in 1937 to a Jewish family in Berlin, and the family fled Nazi Germany for Shanghai when he was a baby.
- He was the official artist for events including the Olympics, Super Bowl, Indianapolis 500, World Cup and World Series.
- He pleaded guilty to tax fraud in 1997 after the IRS alleged he concealed over $1 million in income.
What we don’t know yet
- No cause of death was given.
- Whether Max actually created the original 'Yellow Submarine' design is disputed; he claimed he did, but the film and album are officially credited to Heinz Edelmann.
- The 2015 family dispute involved conflicting allegations between his son Adam and second wife Mary Max about his finances and care.
Open questions
- What was the cause of Peter Max's death?
- How was the 2015 family dispute between his son and wife ultimately resolved?
- Did Max ever provide evidence to support his claim about the original 'Yellow Submarine' design?
- What happens to his estate and remaining artworks?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.