Colour silkscreen on paper.
2010.
72.5 x 101 cm.
Edition of 75.
Hand signed and numbered by Alex Katz.
Excellent condition.
Framed.
 
A striking colour silkscreen on paper by Alex Katz, ‘Vivian in a Black Hat’ is a bold and minimalist portrait that exemplifies Katz’s signature style of vivid colour, clean linework, and striking composition. Part of the Black Hat series, the work portrays Vivien Bittencourt (Katz’s daughter-in-law) in a moment of cool composure, wearing oversized sunglasses and a dramatic black hat. Set against a vibrant yellow background, the piece’s graphic intensity is heightened through Katz’s hallmark use of flat planes and saturated tones. Katz is known for including his family members as subjects, permeating his portraits with personal resonance. Part of an edition of 75, the print is hand-signed and numbered by Katz and is in mint condition.
 
Alex Katz (b. 1927) is an American painter known for his distinctive style that blends realism with bold, graphic simplicity, positioning him as a key figure in postwar American art. Emerging in the 1950s, Katz developed a unique approach focused on detached portraits with flat planes of colour and sharp lines. His work captures fleeting moments which explore themes of perception, beauty, and everyday life. Over a career spanning more than seven decades, he has influenced generations of artists and exhibited worldwide, including a celebrated retrospective in 2023 at the Guggenheim Museum, New York. In 2019, his auction record was set with the portrait Blue Umbrella I (1972), which sold for $4.1 million at Phillips New York.