Mary Max, Wife Of Artist Peter Max, Found Dead In UWS Apartment

June 11, 2019, 11:08 a.m.

It's believed she died of a suicide.

Peter Max and Mary Max in 2017

Peter Max and Mary Max in 2017

Mary Max, the wife of pop artist Peter Max, was found dead in her Upper West Side home over the weekend. She was 52.

The Daily News reports that a friend found her "dead in the bedroom of her 15th-floor home on Riverside Drive, at 84th St., at about 9:25 p.m. Sunday." Police sources told the NY Post she died of nitrogen asphyxiation.

Police reportedly believe she died of a suicide.

Mary Max was the second wife of Peter Max, the 81-year-old artist known for his pop and psychedelic paintings and who now suffers from advanced dementia. In 2015, she sued her stepson Adam Max, accusing him of "illegally remov[ing]" Peter Max from their Riverside Drive home, while Adam Max accused her of trying to kill his father. Mary Max also accused Adam of stealing artwork worth millions she received from her husband. A judge later ruled that Peter Max should be returned to his home.

Peter Max's other child from his first marriage, Libra Max, entered into the conflict with her brother by seizing control of their father's studio from Adam and claiming agents have been stealing money from the artist.

What's at stake is the multi-million Peter Max brand. A NY Times story in May described how Peter Max has been making millions through a deal with a Michigan gallery, but it's unclear whether the paintings sold—many during auctions on cruise ships—are as unique as they are promised to be: "According to an audit included in recent legal proceedings, from 2012 to 2018 ALP went from insolvency to Mr. Luntz generating a total of more than $93 million in sales. Its net profit for 2018 was more than $30 million — the studio’s best year ever."

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.