Maxfield Parish
Born Frederick Parrish on July 25, 1870, Maxfield Parrish was an American artist and illustrator whose body of work helped shape the Golden Age of Illustration.
Known for his prints and paintings of whimsical, mythological scenes, the artist combined techniques of the old masters with his own sense of imagination to create a unique style all his own. Capturing light with a precise yet surreal intensity by using many layers of saturated glazes over a tonal underpainting, Parrish explained his aim for his work…
“The hard part is how to plan a picture so as to give to others what has happened to you,” he once reflected. “To render in paint an experience, to suggest the sense of light and color, of air and space.”
Parrish was one of the highest paid artists of his time. He earned his first commission before finishing art school and achieved tremendous popularity throughout the first half of the 20th century.
