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.
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| Enchanted Prince |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Contentment (Current style Muse) |
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| Cleopatra
Ο Maxfield Parrish, σύγχρονος διάσημος ζωγράφος και (κυρίως) εικονογράφος είναι από τους αγαπημένους των ενασχολουμένων με το MIND.
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| The Fisherman and The Genie |
