ART-078 Peter Max — "R.J. Grunts" Vintage Hand-Signed Poster, 1969, Chicago

A rare and historically specific piece of American Pop Art ephemera — Peter Max's (German/American, born 1937) original hand-signed poster for R.J. Grunts, the legendary Chicago restaurant that opened in 1971 at 2056 Lincoln Park West and became a cornerstone of the city's dining culture for decades. This poster, dated 1969 on verso documentation, predates the restaurant's opening — making it a commissioned artwork created in anticipation of the launch, almost certainly one of the earliest pieces of R.J. Grunts visual identity.

The composition is quintessential Max: a stylized lone figure in a sweeping orange cloak and hat set against a bold blue field, the restaurant's name floating across the background in the loose, expressive typography that defined his commercial and fine art work of the late 1960s. It is Peter Max at the height of his cultural moment — the same visual language that defined Woodstock-era America, applied to one of Chicago's most beloved institutions.

Hand-signed by Peter Max lower right, with the full restaurant address inscribed along the lower margin: "2056 Lincoln Park West, Nice City, Chicago, Ill. 60614." Verso documentation identifies the artist, title, medium, and year 1969. Presented under plexiglass in a black frame. Approximate sight size 35 × 24 inches; framed 38 × 27 × 1 inch.

• Artist: Peter Max (German/American, born 1937)
• Title: R.J. Grunts
• Medium: Vintage hand-signed poster
• Year: 1969 (per verso documentation)
• Inscription: Signed lower right; address inscribed lower margin: "2056 Lincoln Park West, Nice City, Chicago, Ill. 60614"
• Sight Size: Approx. 35 × 24 in.
• Framed Size: 38 × 27 × 1 in.
• Presentation: Under plexiglass in black frame
• Documentation: Verso identifies artist, title, medium, and year 1969
• Condition: Good overall; typical age-related surface wear and toning. Frame shows storage wear along edges and corners. Work not examined outside frame. 

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