Flat color and minimal forms contrast the often monumental scales of the paintings by Alex Katz through which he creates portraits and landscapes of deceptive simplicity. Although the signature stark style that defines his prints and other work is now recognizable at a glance, it took him a decade to develop. During that time, he has said he destroyed hundreds of paintings.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Russian émigré parents, Katz’s family moved to Queens when he was a baby and that is where his family’s passion for the arts supported his early creative interests. In 1946, he enrolled at the Cooper Union in Manhattan where he studied painting under Morris Kantor. While he was influenced by the bold colors and hard edges of modernism, he shifted away from the then-dominant Abstract Expressionism movement to figurative scenes of life that have an inherent cool in their pared-down approach. Especially impactful were Katz’s summer studies between 1949 and 1950 at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine, a place where, as he later wrote: “I tried plein air painting and found my subject matter and a reason to devote my life to painting.”
Katz’s first solo show was in 1954 at Roko Gallery in New York. He experimented over the course of the following years with collage and painting on aluminum sheets, with his work in the 1960s drawing inspiration from film and advertising. In the 1970s, Katz expanded into portrait groups that regularly depicted the cultural scene of New York; in the 1980s, he extended his focus to fashion and its supermodels. Since the late 1950s, an enduring muse for his portraits has been his wife, Ada, while others have painted friends and famous figures. The intimate closeness of the frequently cropped faces in Katz’s portraits exudes a sense of tension with the subjects’ enigmatic expressions and planes of color.
In the 1960s, Katz collaborated with American dancer and choreographer Paul Taylor on sets and costumes. His concentration on landscapes emerged in the late 1980s, with atmospheric night views joining his practice, which had previously been defined by bright colors. Always finding new perspectives on his work, he has explored using iPhone photographs as the basis for large-scale compositions in recent years.
Katz’s prolific career has spanned sculpture, prints and public art along with his paintings and drawings, and his works can be found in the collections of leading museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Whitney Museum of American Art and Museum of Modern Art. He has had over 250 solo exhibitions around the world and continues to be acclaimed. In 2022, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum opened a major retrospective of his art.
Find Alex Katz art today on 1stDibs.
Vivien in Black Hat, Rare Screen Print, Hand Signed Ed. of 75, Framed, S. 464
By Alex Katz
Located in Aventura, FL
Screen print on Rives BFK paper. Hand signed in pencil by Alex Katz lower left. Hand numbered 23/75 in pencil lower left (there are also 8 artist's proofs). Artwork size: 28.75 x ...
Paper, Screen
"Jayne Anne" Etching and Aquatint Hand signed and numbered by Alex Katz 1984
By Alex Katz
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Katz, Alex Jayne Anne, 1984 Vernis mou and aquatint on Hahnemuehle paper 18 1/8 x 15 1/2 in. 24 from the limited edition of 40 Hand Signed and Numbered Mint Condition
Etching, Aquatint
Alex Katz Cow Etching on Paper, 2005, Framed, Gloria 13
By Alex Katz
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Alex Katz Title: Gloria 13 Medium: Etching on Zerkall Ingress paper Date: 2005 Portfolio: 2005 Gloria Edition: 25/100 Frame Size: 15" x 15" Sheet Size: 12" x 9" Image Size: ...
Archival Pigment
Night: William Dunas Dance 1 (Pamela), Pop Art Print by Alex Katz
By Alex Katz
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alex Katz, American (1927 - ) Title: Night: William Dunas Dance 1 (Pamela) Year: 1983 Medium: Lithograph on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 100, 42 AP Size: 25...
Lithograph
$42,400Sale Price|20% Off
Blue Hat Etching and Aquatint, Abstract Expressionist, 2003, Framed
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
'Blue Hat', 2003 Alex Katz Etching and Aquatint 33.5 x 66.9 in. / 85 x 170 cm Edition of 75, Signed by Artist The specific information regarding edition will be provided at the time...
Screen
Alex Katz Original Etching Print, 2005, Framed, from Gloria Portfolio, 11
By Alex Katz
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Alex Katz Title: Gloria 11 Medium: Etching on Zerkall Ingress paper Date: 2005 Portfolio: 2005 Gloria Edition: 25/100 Frame Size: 15" x 15" Sheet Size: 12" x 9" Image Size: ...
Archival Pigment
Original Alex Katz Etching on Paper, 2005, Gloria 10
By Alex Katz
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Alex Katz Title: Gloria 10 Medium: Etching on Zerkall Ingress paper Date: 2005 Portfolio: 2005 Gloria Edition: 25/100 Frame Size: 15" x 15" Sheet Size: 12" x 9" Image Size: ...
Archival Pigment
Alex Katz 'Olivia 2'
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
"Olivia 2" by Alex Katz (2025) is a striking multicolored screen print on Museum quality fine art paper, signed and numbered in a limited edition of 50, showcasing Katz's iconic styl...
Screen
Large Head of Vincent - aquatint print by Alex Katz
By Alex Katz
Located in East Quogue, NY
"Large Head of Vincent" by Alex Katz - sugarlift aquatint on Arches Cover paper. Offered in simple white wooden frame. Print size: 61 x 35.5 inches Frame s...
Aquatint
$32,000
Straw Hat 3
By Alex Katz
Located in Boca Raton, FL
woman in straw hat with eyes closed
Archival Pigment
$18,000
Ada 8
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Created by Alex Katz in 2022, Ada 8, from Ada Portfolio 2, is an original screenprint in 13 colors on Saunders paper. Hand-signed in pencil (lower left recto) and numbered from the e...
Screen
Alex Katz Original Etching Print, 2005, Framed, from Gloria Portfolio, 16
By Alex Katz
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Alex Katz Title: Gloria 16 Medium: Etching on Zerkall Ingress paper Date: 2005 Portfolio: 2005 Gloria Edition: 25/100 Frame Size: 15" x 15" Sheet Size: 12" x 9" Image Size: ...
Archival Pigment
Alex Katz Striped Jacket Signed Color Lithograph Contemporary Art
By Alex Katz
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Artist: Alex Katz Title: Striped Jacket Medium: Lithograph in colors on Arches Roll Cover paper Image Size: 29 3/8" x 37 1/8" Frame Size: 39" x 47" Year: 1981 Edition: 41/58 Inscript...
Lithograph, Paper
Ada (Purple)
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
With the simplest of line akin to a drawing by Matisse, Alex Katz renders Ada (Purple) in elegant simplicity. Created in 2022 as an original one-color woodcut in an edition of just ...
Woodcut
Night: William Dunas Dance 2(Pamela), Pop Art Print by Alex Katz
By Alex Katz
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Alex Katz, American (1927 - ) Title: Night: William Dunas Dance 1 (Pamela) Year: 1983 Medium: Lithograph on Arches, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 100, 42 AP Size: 25...
Lithograph
The Creative Director (Pharrell)
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Alex Katz The Creative Director (Pharrell) 2025 Silkscreen in colors on Saunders Waterford High White HP 425 gsm fine art paper 36 x 26 inches (91.5 x 66 cm) Edition of 75 Alex Katz...
Screen
Alex Katz Original Etching Print, 2005, Framed, from Gloria Portfolio, 6
By Alex Katz
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Alex Katz Title: Gloria 6 Medium: Etching on Zerkall Ingress paper Date: 2005 Portfolio: 2005 Gloria Edition: 25/100 Frame Size: 15" x 15" Sheet Size: 12" x 9" Image Size: 4...
Archival Pigment
Ada in Blue Hat - 2004 - Aquatint in 11 colors - Portrait of Ada Katz in Maine
By Alex Katz
Located in Miami, FL
Ada in Blue Hat 2004 Aquatint in 11 colors 33 1/2 x 67 in. Edition of 75 Pencil signed and numbered With flat planes of rich, lovely color, Alex Katz’s landscapes and portraits evok...
Aquatint
Olivia 2 Silkscreen Print, Hand Signed, PP 4/4, 40 x 54 Inches
By Alex Katz
Located in Aventura, FL
Olivia 2 from Oliva suite. Hand signed by Alex Katz lower left. Hand numbered PP 4/4 lower right (there is also a main edition of 50). Artwork size: 40 x 54 inches. Published by L...
Paper, Screen
Susan (1976), Screenprint by Alex Katz (Deluxe Limited Edition of 50)
By Alex Katz
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Susan (1976) A rare and historic lithograph by Alex Katz signed and numbered by the artist. screenprint in colors on Tronko Japan paper sheet/image: 26 h × 19⅝ w in (66 × 50 cm) fr...
Paper, Screen
"Serena" Etching and Aquatint Hand signed and numbered by Alex Katz 1984
By Alex Katz
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Katz, Alex Serena 1984 Vernis mou and aquatint on Hahnemuehle paper 18 1/8 x 15 1/2 in. 24 from the limited edition of 40 Hand Signed and Numbered Mint Condition
Etching, Aquatint
$18,000
Dancer 1
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Alex Katz Dancer 1 2019 Silkscreen in colors on Saunders Waterford HP High White 425 gsm paper 60 x 36 inches (153 x 92 cm) Edition of 60
Screen
Olivia 1 Silkscreen Print, Hand Signed, PP 4/4, 59 x 40 Inches
By Alex Katz
Located in Aventura, FL
Olivia 1 from Oliva suite. Hand signed by Alex Katz lower left. Hand numbered PP 4/4 lower right (there is also a main edition of 50). Artwork size: 59 x 40 inches. Published by L...
Paper, Screen
Perry (from White Shirt), framed hand signed archival pigment print
By Alex Katz
Located in Aventura, FL
Archival pigment print in colors on Innova Etching Cotton Rag paper from White Shirt portfolio. Hand signed by Alex Katz lower left. Hand numbered 49/50 lower right (there were als...
Paper, Archival Pigment
Straw Hat Vivien
By Alex Katz
Located in Miami, FL
Technical Information: Alex Katz Straw Hat Vivien 2021 Silkscreen 80 x 44 in. Edition of 60 Pencil signed and numbered
Screen
$24,000
Vivien
By Alex Katz
Located in Palm Desert, CA
“Vivien” is a figurative, silkscreen portrait by Pop artist, Alex Katz. The artwork is signed, in pencil, lower left "Alex Katz 43/60” Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1927, Alex Katz...
Screen
$55,000
White Visor
By Alex Katz
Located in Miami, FL
TECHNICAL INFORMATION Alex Katz White Visor 2003 Etching Aquatint 33 3/8 x 66 7/8 in. Edition of 75 Pencil signed & numbered Accompanied with COA by Gregg Shienbaum Fine Art ...
Etching, Aquatint
Ada Four Times 4
By Alex Katz
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Alex Katz (b. 1927) has been dedicated to art-making since the 1950's - however, it wasn't until the 60's when he established his signature 'flat' figurative style. Over the succeedi...
Lithograph, Screen
$17,000
Olivia 1
By Alex Katz
Located in Boca Raton, FL
This work is edition number 33/50. Signed/numbered in pencil, lower lect. By reducing his subjects to their most essential visual components, Alex Katz engages in a reductive proc...
Screen
Sasha 1, Archival pigment print, Hand Signed, 2018, Framed
By Alex Katz
Located in Aventura, FL
Archival pigment print in colors on Crane Museo Max White paper. Hand signed in pencil by Alex Katz lower left. Annotated "RTP" in pencil lower left (a right-to-print proof, the ed...
Paper, Archival Pigment
Black Hat -- Woodcut, Print, Portrait by Alex Katz
By Alex Katz
Located in London, GB
Black Hat, 2012 Alex Katz Woodcut, on Somerset satin white Signed and numbered from the edition of 25 Printed by Collaborative Art Editions, Tampa Published by Lococo Fine Art Publi...
Woodcut
$14,000
Olivia 2
By Alex Katz
Located in Fairfield, CT
Silkscreen in colors on Saunders Waterford High White HP 425 gsm fine art paper Edition of 50
Paper, Screen
Alex and Ada, 1984 Screenprint by Alex Katz
By Alex Katz
Located in Miami, FL
Technical Information: Alex Katz Alex and Ada 1984 Screenprint 30 x 36 in. Edition of 75 Pencil signed and numbered Accompanied with COA by Gregg Shienbaum Fine Art
Screen
Vivien in White Coat, 2021
By Alex Katz
Located in Palo Alto, CA
Alex Katz Vivien in White Coat, 2021 is a work of subtle admiration that the artist holds for her daughter-in-law, Vivien Bittencourt. The gentle hues...
Screen
Portraits: Yvonne
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Alex Katz uses outline drawings, called “cartoons”, as templates to transfer full size images onto the canvas prior to painting. Rendered in red chalk or charcoal on brown paper, th...
Etching
Porcelain Beauty - enamel, aluminum, black and white
By Alex Katz
Located in Köln, DE
The set "Porcelain Beauty" consists of 6 porcelain enamel artworks on aluminum plate. Alex Katz was life-long influenced by advertising e.g. the Ame...
Enamel
Ada 6 - From the Ada Portfolio
By Alex Katz
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Alex Katz (b. 1927) Ada 6 — From the ADA Portfolio, 2022, (/100) Silkscreen in colors on Saunders Waterford High White HP 425 gsm paper 54 x 40.50 in (137.16 x 102.87 cm)
Screen
Ada (Black)
By Alex Katz
Located in Fairfield, CT
Edition of 150 1 Color Woodcut on Somerset Satin White, 300 gsm
Woodcut
Nicole 2 Silkscreen Print, Hand Signed, PP 4/4, 59 x 40 Inches
By Alex Katz
Located in Aventura, FL
Hand signed by Alex Katz lower left. Hand numbered PP 4/4 lower right (there is also a main edition of 50). Artwork size: 59 x 40 inches. Artwork is in excellent condition. About...
Paper, Screen
$18,000
Ada I
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Created by Alex Katz in 2022, Ada I, from Ada Portfolio 1, is an original screenprint in 17 colors on Saunders paper. Hand-signed in pencil (lower left recto) and numbered from the e...
Screen
Portraits: Anne
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Alex Katz uses outline drawings, called “cartoons”, as templates to transfer full size images onto the canvas prior to painting. Rendered in red chal...
Etching
Portraits: Alba
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Alex Katz uses outline drawings, called “cartoons”, as templates to transfer full size images onto the canvas prior to painting. Rendered in red chalk or charcoal on brown paper, th...
Etching
Ada with Black Hat
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Created by Alex Katz in 2013 in an edition of just 25, Ada with Black Hat is an original screenprint in three colors on Saunders paper. Hand-signed in pencil and numbered, the artwor...
Screen
The Creative Director (Pharrell)
By Alex Katz
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Alex Katz Title: The Creative Director (Pharrell) Year: 2025 Medium: Silkscreen in colors on Saunders Waterford High White HP 425 gsm fine art paper Sheet: 36 x 26 inches (91...
Screen
Ada (purple)
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Alex Katz Ada (purple) 2022 1 Color Woodcut on Somerset Satin White, 300 gsm fine art paper 18 x 23.5 inches (60 x 46 cm) Signed and numbered edition of 75 Alex Katz is an Americ...
Archival Pigment
Eric from White Shirt series
By Alex Katz
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Alex Katz Title: Eric from White Shirt series Year: 2021 Medium: Archival pigment ink on Innova Etching Cotton Rag 315 gsm fine art paper Edition: 50; signed and numbered in ...
Archival Pigment
$7,500
Daniel
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Created by Alex Katz in 2016, Daniel is a 2-color woodcut with 2-color pochoir on Somerset paper. Hand-signed in pencil and numbered from the edition of just 35, the artwork measures...
Woodcut
Portraits: Jessica
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Alex Katz uses outline drawings, called “cartoons”, as templates to transfer full size images onto the canvas prior to painting. Rendered in red chal...
Etching
$20,000
Ada
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Alex Katz Ada 2022 16-color silkscreen 54 x 40 1/2 inches (137 x 103 cm) Signed and numbered edition of 100 in lower margin. Alex Katz is an American painter renowned for his large-...
Archival Pigment
Ada (Black & Purple)
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
With the simplest of line akin to a drawing by Matisse, Alex Katz renders Ada (Black & Purple) in elegant simplicity. Created in 2022 as an original two-color woodcut in an edit...
Woodcut
Olivia 3 Silkscreen Print, Hand Signed, PP 4/4, 59 x 40 Inches
By Alex Katz
Located in Aventura, FL
Olivia 3 from Oliva suite. Hand signed by Alex Katz lower left. Hand numbered PP 4/4 lower right (there is also a main edition of 50). Artwork size: 59 x 40 inches. Published by L...
Paper, Screen
"Alain" Etching and Aquatint Hand signed and numbered by Alex Katz 1984
By Alex Katz
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Katz, Alex Alain, 1984 Vernis mou and aquatint on Hahnemuehle paper 18 1/8 x 15 1/2 in. 24 from the limited edition of 40 Hand Signed and Numbered Mint Condition
Etching, Aquatint
"Cynthia" Etching and Aquatint Hand signed and numbered by Alex Katz 1984
By Alex Katz
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Katz, Alex Cynthia 1984 Vernis mou and aquatint on Hahnemuehle paper 18 1/8 x 15 1/2 in. 24 from the limited edition of 40 Hand Signed and Numbered Mint Condition
Etching, Aquatint
"Alexandria" Etching and Aquatint Hand signed and numbered by Alex Katz 1984
By Alex Katz
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Katz, Alex Alexandria 1984 Vernis mou and aquatint on Hahnemuehle paper 18 1/8 x 15 1/2 in. 24 from the limited edition of 40 Hand Signed and Numbered Mint Condition
Etching, Aquatint
Alex Katz Limited Edition: Straw Hat 3
By Alex Katz
Located in Miami, FL
Alex Katz Straw Hat 3, 2022 Archival Pigment ink print on paper Edition 29 of 100 75 x 42 in Alex Katz Prints: Catalogue Raisonné 1947–2023. Número de catálogo: CR no. 770 (p. 41...
Archival Pigment
Gray Interior, Rare Hand Signed Screen Print, Edition 8/50, Framed
By Alex Katz
Located in Aventura, FL
Eleven color screen print on Beckett paper. Hand signed by Alex Katz lower left. Hand numbered 8/50 lower left. Sheet size: 19.6 x 24.6 inches. Image size: 17 x 22 inches. Frame...
Paper, Screen
Coca-Cola Girl (Suite)
By Alex Katz
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Alex Katz Title: Coca-Cola Girl (Suite) Year: 2018 Medium: Archival pigment inks on Entrada Rag Bright 300 gsm fine art paper Edition: 100; each signed, numbered and dated in...
Archival Pigment
$9,000
Laura 3
By Alex Katz
Located in New York, NY
Created by Alex Katz in 2018, Laura 3 is a two-color original etching, hand-signed in pencil and numbered, the artwork measures 42 x 42 in. (107 x 107 cm), unframed, from the edition...
Etching
White Shirt Portfolio
By Alex Katz
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Alex Katz Title: White Shirt Portfolio Year: 2021 Medium: Archival pigment ink on Innova Etching Cotton Rag 315 gsm fine art paper Sheets: 26 × 15 in (66× 38.1 cm) Edition: ...
Archival Pigment
"Annabel" Etching and Aquatint Hand signed and numbered by Alex Katz 1984
By Alex Katz
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Katz, Alex Annabel 1984 Vernis mou and aquatint on Hahnemuehle paper 18 1/8 x 15 1/2 in. 24 from the limited edition of 40 Hand Signed and Numbered Mint Condition
Etching, Aquatint