SkiftDesign: Norwegian releases images of 40,000 foot mural for new cruise ship

Pop artist Peter Max designed the hull art for the Norwegian Breakaway. Photo by Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Call it Peter Max's largest canvas ever.

Norwegian Cruise Line today released the first image of the Max-designed hull art planned for its next ship, the Norwegian Breakaway -- a colorful mixture of New York- and cosmic-themed imagery that will cover 40,000 square feet of the vessel's exterior.

Debuting in April 2013, the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Breakaway is scheduled to sail year-round out of New York to such destinations as Bermuda and the Bahamas. At 144,000 tons, it'll be the largest ship ever to be based year-round in the city.