Creating Vivid, Imaginative, and Innocent Worlds: Illustrator Maxfield Parrish

Parrish’s most well-known print, “Daybreak,” sold enough reproductions to have been in one out of every five American households in 1925. "Daybreak," circa 1922, by Maxfield Parrish. Public Domain

“There seem to be magic days once in a while, with some rare quality of light that hold a body spellbound.”—Maxfield Parrish

The art of Maxfield Parrish was enjoyed by millions in his lifetime, thanks to 20th-century innovations in color printing and mass distribution. Parrish became a household name as he gained widespread success for his iconic neoclassical prints, children’s book illustrations, advertisements, and covers of popular periodicals, including Life and Harper’s Bazaar.