Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966)




Maxfield Parrish was an American painter and illustrator who was possibly the most popular commercial artist in the United States during the first half of the 20th century. He designed posters, magazine covers, books and advertising illustrations and even painted murals. Parrish is best known for his fantasy landscapes featuring attractive young women. Parrish's meticulous attention to detail and natural backgrounds, as well as unusual use of color gave his illustrations and paintings an almost dreamlike, idyllic ambiance.

After entering the artistic career professionally, Parrish helped shape the Golden Age of illustration in American visual arts. A recurring theme in Parrish's paintings was androgynous nudes with fantastical landscapes. Parrish's paintings were revolutionary in several ways. For one, he did not adhere to one style. Second, his use of dazzling colors were achieved by glazing, in which Parrish would alternately apply layers of oil separated by a varnish on a monochromatic first layer.

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