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Lot Essay
Widely regarded as one of America's most popular illustrators, Maxfield Parrish received his first magazine commission in 1895 for Harper's Bazaar's Easter cover. This was the start of a blazing career working for publications such as Life, Ladies' Home Journal, Harper's Weekly and Scribner's. "From every newsstand his work would be instantly recognized, sometimes gracing different publications alongside each other." (A. Gilbert, Maxfield Parrish: The Masterworks, Berkeley, California, 1992, p. 63) In 1904 Parrish signed an exclusive contract with Collier's stating that his future work would be published solely in the publication until 1910. Parrish received $1,250 a month and retained all the original paintings. Collier's pages were larger than most periodicals of the time giving Parrish more creative freedom. Additionally, the ability to work within a consistent style and format for six years allowed the artist greater opportunity for exploration and experimentation. Painted in 1908, near the end of this exclusive agreement, Atlas Landscape demonstrates Parrish's artistic growth during this period. "It was generally felt that his magazine work had exposed a side of his talent which had not been evident in his earlier, more commercial graphic periodical covers and poster designs. His work had become more delicate and elegant." (L.S. Cutler and J.G. Cutler, Maxfield Parrish: A Retrospective, Rohnert Park, California, 1995, p. 7)
Originally painted as one of a series of works inspired by classical mythology for Collier's, Atlas Landscape was illustrated as the cover of the May 16, 1908 issue. The painting belonged to the series Greek Mythology II and was titled Atlas Holding up the Sky. The work was also one of ten Parrish paintings to be used as an illustration for Duffield and Company's 1910 reprint of Nathanial Hawthorne's A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales, a collection of adaptations of Greek and Roman mythology. Parrish later modified the composition, likely in 1910, to paint out the figure, obscuring him in the form of a tree. The composition in its present state foreshadows the direction in which Parrish would later go in his career, preferring to paint pure landscapes, absent human form.
Atlas Landscape is representative of Professor Hubert von Herkomer's comments on the technical virtuosity underlying Parrish's success during the early 1900s, "Mr. Parrish has absorbed, yet purified, every modern oddity, and added to it his own strong original identity. He has combined the photographic vision with the pre-Raphaelite feeling. He is poetic without ever being maudlin, and has the saving clause of humor. He can give good suggestiveness without loss of unflinching detail. He has a strong sense of romance. He has a great sense of characterization without a touch of ugliness. He can be modern, medieval, or classic. He has been able to infuse into the most uncompromising realism the decorative element-an extraordinary feat in itself. He is throughout an excellent draughtsman, and his finish is phenomenal...He will do much to reconcile the extreme and sober elements of our times." (as quoted in L.L. Watkins, Maxfield Parrish: A Retrospect, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1966, n.p.)
Atlas Landscape displays Maxfield Parrish's ability to blend Pre-Raphaelite sentiment, Old Master technique and a commercial sensitivity into a beautiful and appealing painting. The work is a window to an Arcadian fantasy that exudes mystical beauty and is exemplary of Parrish's work from the early twentieth century. The continuing appeal of landscapes such as Atlas Landscape is a testament to Parrish's technical mastery and his ability to create scenes that are both classical and timeless.
Originally painted as one of a series of works inspired by classical mythology for Collier's, Atlas Landscape was illustrated as the cover of the May 16, 1908 issue. The painting belonged to the series Greek Mythology II and was titled Atlas Holding up the Sky. The work was also one of ten Parrish paintings to be used as an illustration for Duffield and Company's 1910 reprint of Nathanial Hawthorne's A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales, a collection of adaptations of Greek and Roman mythology. Parrish later modified the composition, likely in 1910, to paint out the figure, obscuring him in the form of a tree. The composition in its present state foreshadows the direction in which Parrish would later go in his career, preferring to paint pure landscapes, absent human form.
Atlas Landscape is representative of Professor Hubert von Herkomer's comments on the technical virtuosity underlying Parrish's success during the early 1900s, "Mr. Parrish has absorbed, yet purified, every modern oddity, and added to it his own strong original identity. He has combined the photographic vision with the pre-Raphaelite feeling. He is poetic without ever being maudlin, and has the saving clause of humor. He can give good suggestiveness without loss of unflinching detail. He has a strong sense of romance. He has a great sense of characterization without a touch of ugliness. He can be modern, medieval, or classic. He has been able to infuse into the most uncompromising realism the decorative element-an extraordinary feat in itself. He is throughout an excellent draughtsman, and his finish is phenomenal...He will do much to reconcile the extreme and sober elements of our times." (as quoted in L.L. Watkins, Maxfield Parrish: A Retrospect, Springfield, Massachusetts, 1966, n.p.)
Atlas Landscape displays Maxfield Parrish's ability to blend Pre-Raphaelite sentiment, Old Master technique and a commercial sensitivity into a beautiful and appealing painting. The work is a window to an Arcadian fantasy that exudes mystical beauty and is exemplary of Parrish's work from the early twentieth century. The continuing appeal of landscapes such as Atlas Landscape is a testament to Parrish's technical mastery and his ability to create scenes that are both classical and timeless.