Customer Reviews

Maxfield Parrish

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Recently, I had the pleasure of viewing the Parrish exhibit mounted by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. My experience was that much more enjoyable as a result of owning and reading Ludwig's book. The book, aside from the dutiful enumeration of Parrish's accomplishments, provides a treasure trove of Parrish's work; so much so that only three or four of the works were "new" to me. The explaination of Parrish's techniques is an absolute necessity to Parrish afficianados. It makes you crave a viewing of the actual works.

While some of the color prints fail to do the artist justice and there are far too many black and white reproductions, the book is a wonderful catalog of Parrish's work. Oddly, I was surprised to learn of Parrish's obsession with model/muse, Susan Lewin; a woman completly eliminated in Ludwig's treatment of Parrish. To gain an more complete appreciation of Parrish, one should understand that relationship. Perhaps, in addition to purchasing this book, one should obtain the PAFA'a catalog of their Parrish exhibition

Mr. Ludwig's book was the first tome on Parrish I ever had in my hands. That was in 1973, and I still consider it the most comprehensive book on the man and his art available. While there are many more Parrish publications on the shelves today than 25 years ago (several with more and better reproductions), none has the interesting mix of biography, reproductions, catalog and technical information on Parrish and his work that Mr. Ludwig included in this book (the bibliography sent me in search of as many of the original magazine articles as I could find,... well worth the hunt). This is one Parrish book that feels as if it were done for love of the artist and not for love of money.

This book has always been the "essential" Maxfield Parrish reference for me. It contains page after page of information about the artist's incredible personal and professional life. It also goes into great depth detailing the illustrator's perfected (and tedious) technique of creating illustrations. From crafting meticulous miniatures for layout to the final process of layering oil glazes onto the canvas. It's all there.

I would highly recommend this book to Illustrators, art teachers, and overall art enthusiasts who want to expand their knowledge about illustration and a true master of the past. This book has been cited in other publications such as "Step by Step Graphics" for the depth analysis of his technique.

My only small criticism is that I would've liked to seen more color prints within the book. A few too many black and white reproductions of the artwork. That aside, I feel this book is of tremendous value.

The version of this book that I own is from the second printing (1974). What a beautiful book! In some ways Parrish seems to be the dreamy counterpart to Norman Rockwell. An amazing attention to detail and lighting. To reiterate a point raised in other reviews, this book would benefit from more color plates, but that is a minor criticism. While I have not yet purchased any of the other books in print on Maxfield's work...this is a fine place to start. There is a generous sampling of landscapes, product advertisements and magazine covers. Recommended!

A comprehensive survey of the artist's work, it covers not just his paintings, but also his posters, advertising and magazine and book illustration and the murals. Very well illustrated and with a comprehensive text it chronicles the artist's development and his vast array of work.

One of the most interesting chapters is that which explains in detail the methods Parrish employed to achieve his remarkable results. This includes his use of photography and the painstaking glazing techniques he employed.

A very interesting and useful publication; it is not one that sits idly on my book shelf.

Note: I made some immature person angry by giving negative reviews of books written to "prove the Book of Mormon." Rather than answer my criticism, this person automatically gives my reviews negative votes. Oh, well.

Your "helpful" votes are appreciated, and please remember that a short review is not necessarily a bad review if it leads you to a great book.

I love "Daybreak" (see cover) with a nude figure standing above a girl sleeping in a columned pavilion. If you like this painting, then check out different reproductions (the colors vary widely and change the nature and mood of the painting. Really change it.

"Twilight" is another great painting. For me, it is evocative of a great mystery. You want to step into that farm yard and explore the house and barn. No people are shown, but it gives me the feeling that ghosts live there (without being scary--in a dreamy sense).

"Afterglow" is also intreguing, showing a New England church as the stars come out.

The book is full of both color and black-and-white illustrations. I would love to see "Landing of the Brazen Boatman" in color. A robed figure is walking down some stairs of a strange temple while a boatman awaits.

What a gift of imagination Maxfield Parrish left to the world!

Highly recommended.

Maxfield Parrish by Coy Ludwig - Maxfield Parrish was the illustrater of children's books and magazine advertisements of my childhood. When I look at this book it takes me back to a more innocent time. I always loved his imaginative landscapes and fairy tale buildings. I had a copy of this book but lost it in a flood. I have been trying to find it ever since so now I am replacing it.

This is an excellent book on an artist with a unique style and career. Coy Ludwig does a great job covering the topics of Parrish's privileged childhood, his career as both a highly successful commercial artists and as a fine artists, his approach to the business of art, and finally a very good last chapter on the techniques used by Parrish.

Parrish, born in 1870 into a privileged Quaker family, had a wealthy father who pursued the arts. Maxfield's father took the family on long 4 month vacations to Europe so that the father could paint. He was taken to all the major museums and his interest in the art of other eras is evident in his work, especially the Pre-Raphaelites. Romance, folk tales and middle aged costumes populate his commercial art. Parrish was one of the first artists to understand the commercial value of making mechanical reproductions of his art which were sold separately from the original work. Many artists follow this commercial model today. He would spend considerable time painting a perfectly beautiful finished painting, which was then reproduced with mechanical lithographic techniques and these reproductions, called prints, were then sold to the public. Parrish may a fortune and kept the original art. One real strength to the book is the final chapter where the technique of using glazes over a blue under painting is explained. Parrish would use photography and the magic lantern method of developing the perfectly drawn image, These images were included in a composition using the method of the Golden Mean, a compositional strategy that goes back to the ancient Greeks. Parrish would develop a monochromatic image in blue on white that would constitute the complete composition. Then he would add layer upon layer of colored glaze to give the work the incredible optical brilliance that is characteristic of his work. Like the famous art material and technique expert, Ralph Meyer, Parris indicates that all paints are actually transparent and can be used for the glazing process if diluted enough. Parrish used linseed oil for a medium though I suspect he used a form of linseed oil called stand oil which dries as flat as enamel and leaves no brush strokes. He would glaze a painting and then let it dry before adding a layer of varnish then he would repeat the process. This lengthy process often took a year to complete a painting, meaning that Parrish must have worked on twelve to sixteen paintings all at once at various stages of completion.

The book is excellent, full of detail on the life, career, and technique of Maxfield Parrish and is full of black and white and stunning color reproductions. Any artist who wishes to experiment with the transparent glazing method should read the final chapter of this book.

This book is very lavishly illustrated, as any book about an illustrator should be. As usual with books about visual artists, however, it blasts right through the process of rejection, exploitation and acceptance by which visual artists go from obscurity to prosperity. Also, it would have been interesting to contrast Parrish with his younger and much-better known imitator, Norman Rockwell.

I have always enjoyed Maxfield Parrish. I have a friend who purchased this book for me as a gift. I recently aquired a print that I enjoy!! The book has made me more of an avid fan of Maxfield Parrish.