Parrish, Maxfield (1870-1966), an American painter and illustrator, portrayed a world of rich color and poetic fancy. His travels in Italy and his later life among the New Hampshire mountains developed his love for romantic, idealized natural beauty. The towering peak of Ascutney, within sight of his home, is suggested in many of his works. An unusual shade of blue, which Parrish used in many of his pictures, came to be known as “Maxfield Parrish blue.”
Parrish’s posters, magazine covers, murals, and other decorations demonstrate his skillful draftsmanship and distinctively elegant style. The many books he illustrated include Mother Goose in Prose, Knickerbocker’s History of New York, The Arabian Nights, Wonder Book, Poems of Childhood, Golden Age, and Dream Days. The rich and glowing colors that Parrish used in his works attracted many admirers.
Parrish was born on July 25, 1870, in Philadelphia of Quaker parents. He graduated from Haverford College and later studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He also studied under Howard Pyle at Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry (now known as Drexel University). He died on March 30, 1966.
