Many of Max’s influences come from childhood but most are from individuals and periods in human history that have helped to inspire and develop his work.

He is greatly influenced by The Renaissance; one of the few historical moments in which art, science, and spiritual inquiry were unified and even informed one another. This period roughly spanned from the 14th to the turn of the 17th century, with its zenith arguably being reached in what is known as the “High Renaissance.”

During this period, the world witnessed the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg, an innovation that fundamentally democratized information and expanded access to knowledge. The era revealed early expressions of the scientific method, seen in Caterina Sforza’s “Experimenti,” which documented empirical work in chemistry and pharmacology. It produced the extensive notebooks and investigations of Leonardo Da Vinci; whose studies of anatomy, mechanics and nature continue to inspire and shape modern thought. The Renaissance also gave rise to Maria Sibylla Merian, who empirically disproved spontaneous generation; a belief that had dominated natural philosophy since Aristotle, thereby establishing life-cycle biology and laying the foundations for modern biology. This period also preserved the medical legacy of Trotula of Salerno, whose experience-based texts shaped European medical education for centuries. It encompassed the studied perspectives of Titian and Raphael, the heliocentric discoveries of Nicolaus Copernicus, and the natural philosophy of Camilla Erculiani, who argued that nature operates according to discoverable laws; an assertion that led to her investigation by the Inquisition. This epoch also revealed the beautiful mind of Michelangelo, the experimental brilliance of Galileo Galilei, and the pioneering anatomical techniques of Alessandra Giliani; whose methods enabled the early mapping of the circulatory system centuries before modern visualization occurred. At its visual threshold, the Renaissance yielded to the dramatic interplay of shadow and light mastered by Caravaggio, marking the transition toward the Baroque and foreshadowing the broader intellectual shifts of the mid-17th century Scientific Revolution.

It is clear that the union of art, science and spiritual inquiry can yield some of the most positive and important changes to human history, as seen in the Renaissance. Max’s paintings are constructed using the same foundational principles and techniques that helped form this great era… with a particular appreciation for geometry and spatial reasoning. This approach allows for an extensively planned process in which each work is developed through repeated studies before reaching the canvas… and then executed in oil and acrylic, with occasional mixed materials. Intention is embedded into every composition. The paintings aim to express a deep engagement with the natural world and humanity’s enduring relationship to forces far larger than itself. Max continues to expand his studio, subject matter and projects selectively, while producing a measured output of his work. For collectors, the paintings represent an opportunity to engage with an artist at an early but clearly articulated stage in his career; one defined by technique, intentionality and a long-term vision.