Maxfield Parrish

Maxfield Parrish (1870 - 1966) is a well-known American painter and illustrator, born Frederick Maxfield Parrish in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He began drawing for his own amusement early in his life. 

 

He was born Frederick Parrish,  but he took the name Maxfield after his Quaker grandmother. His father, Stephen, was also an artist and Parrish's greatest influence. He originally studied architecture, an interest that is evident in his paintings.

Many of his illustrations to children's books, still popular today, are the result of his struggle to make a living as an artist in his early years around the turn of the 20th century.  

 

Enchanted Prince

Sleeping Beauty

He married his wife Lydia in 1895.  In 1900, Parrish contracted tuberculosis, and then suffered a nervous breakdown. Around that time, he switched from illustrations to oil painting. His oil paintings became very popular, with their brilliant colors and magical luminosity, until well into the 1940s. 

The tuberculosis hung on and Parrish went to Arizona to convalesce in the dry heat there. While in Arizona, he was commissioned to do a series of landscapes. He began painting and travelling on commission and his career took off. 

Stars

He was a unique figure in American art,  Parrish was famous for the luminous colors that marked much of his artwork. The shade “Parrish blue” was coined in acknowledgment. He achieved this result in  his paintings using a special technique involving several coats of oil and varnish.  

Parrish was part of no traditional movement or school, and developed a truly original style.

New Moon

In 1905, Parrish met Susan Lewin, a 16-year old girl hired as a nanny for his son Dillwyn. Her image appears often in paintings from this time through the 1920s. Over time, Susan became Parrish's assistant, model for his paintings, and eventually his lover. His wife, Lydia, and Maxfield grew increasingly estranged and she left him in 1911. Susan stayed with Maxfield for another 50 years. 

Sue Lewin

In spite of the long time it took to perfect a painting, Parrish was prolific over the course of his productive years, from his children's books of the turn of the century, to his famous prints of  lounging nudes during the 1920s, to his calendar landscapes of the 1930s through the 1960s.

Daybreak

Reffering to Maxfield Parrish artist Norman Rockwell said, “Maxfield Parrish was certainly one of our most prominent illustrators and hardly a home in America existed that didn’t have a Maxfield Parrish print. I’m an illustrator. Maxfield Parrish was a painter-illustrator. He was in the Golden Age of Illustration. When I was in art school I admired him. He was one of my gods.”

Parrish continued painting until he was about 90 years old and died at age 96.

Maxfield Parrish c. 1960

I have known about Maxfield Parrish and his art since the mid 1970's. My appreciation and love his romantic, magical and colorful work has continued to  strengthen through the years.

Ecstasy

His painting has the unique quality that seems to me only achievable from someone who is truly following their heart and making the most of their gifts.

Reveries

Parrish's work has always had such a positive effect on me. Whenever I look at his beautiful paintings with their bright and wonderful colors and magic lands, that I know exist,  I can't help but smile and feel good. 

Contentment (Current style Muse)

Cleopatra
  

Ο Maxfield Parrish, σύγχρονος διάσημος ζωγράφος και (κυρίως) εικονογράφος είναι από τους αγαπημένους των ενασχολουμένων με το MIND.

The Fisherman and The Genie