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Lot Essay
Maxfield Parrish was inspired by the American landscape from the earliest stages of his career. "Even when painting the most commercial advertisement or making illustrations which called for interior scenes, his interest in landscapes persisted. There nearly always was a small landscape tucked away in the background or seen through an open arch or window." (C. Ludwig, Maxfield Parrish, New York, 1973, p. 171) Although Parrish consistently incorporated landscape elements into his compositions, it was not until the 1930s when he began to approach it as the primary subject. Painted in 1944, Evening is a superb example of Parrish's mature work, exhibiting many of the most compelling features of his celebrated style.
Parrish began experimenting with landscape painting in the 1890s, painting and sketching around Cape Ann, Massachusetts and introducing landscape elements into his magazine and book illustrations. The turn of the century brought two consecutive commissions from Century Magazine, which had a profound effect on his landscape painting. During the winters of 1901-02 and 1902-03, Parrish traveled around Arizona to produce a series of paintings for Ray Stannard Baker's article "The Great Southwest." Parrish was immediately fascinated by the region's brilliant range of color and dramatic light, both of which created impressive effects against the unusual terrain. As Coy Ludwig points out, "the southwestern sunrises and sunsets, with their reflections of brilliant orange hues and shadows of purple and blue, and the craggy terrain of the canyons became forever a part of Parrish's artistic vocabulary." (Maxfield Parrish, p. 171) In between trips to the Southwest, Parrish went on another influential excursion, this time to Italy where he spent three months observing and gathering material to illustrate Edith Wharton's Italian Villas and Their Gardens. The subtle light and coloring Parrish found in Italy served as a balance to the dramatic topography and atmosphere of the Southwest. As in his best landscapes, the influence of both these Southwestern and Italian sojourns can be seen here in the present work.
In 1898, before setting out on either of these journeys, Parrish built a house and studio in the thriving artist’s colony of Cornish, New Hampshire. Established in 1885 by prominent American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the Cornish colony grew into a lively and productive community replete with artists, authors, playwrights and architects. Parrish lived and worked in this southwestern region of New Hampshire for the remainder of his life, and naturally, his immediate surroundings became the basis for his landscapes.
Central to Evening’s beauty is Parrish’s meticulous and time-consuming process of painting with glazes and a restrained use of bold pigments. Influenced by the Old Master painters, this was a meticulous process that resulted in magnificent luminosity and intensity of color. Evening exhibits all of the hallmarks of Parrish's best landscape paintings. The composition is comprised of majestic elms and, under the branches of the central tree, Parrish has depicted the familiar structure of Freeman Farm, located near his own home in Cornish. A recurring element in his landscapes, Parrish's inclusion of Freeman Farm establishes the location and adds a personal touch to the tranquil scene. The large trees and rocks that are featured prominently are painted in a manner unique to Parrish, using both cut-out silhouettes and photography and can be said to be the single most common element of his landscapes. Parrish explained his approach to landscape painting, which comes to fruition in Evening, "I feel that the broad effect, the truth of nature's mood attempted, is the most important, has more appeal than the kind of subject. 'Broad effect' is a rather vague term, but what is meant is that those qualities which delight us in nature--the sense of freedom, pure air and light, the magic of distance, and the saturated beauty of color, must be convincingly stated and take the beholder to the very spot. If these abstract qualities are not a painting it is a flat failure." (as quoted in Maxfield Parrish, p. 175)
In 1935, Parrish began painting landscapes for calendars with Brown & Bigelow Publishing Company. Evening is included in this group as it was published for a 1947 calendar. Specifically mentioning the present work as one of the best of Parrish's calendar landscapes, "Clair Fry of Brown and Bigelow wrote to Parrish in 1955 detailing the elements that made a picture a good calendar subject: 'The three pictures that stacked up the greatest volume were 'Mill Pond' (1948), 'Evening Shadows' (1953) and 'Evening' (1947). In comparing these three prints with all the rest of them, the thing that impresses me about them is the strength and simplicity of the color and value patterns...The one thing I am really sure of is that a successful calendar picture must have strength and simplicity that catch the attention and are comprehended at a glance. This is the one factor that is evident in every successful calendar picture in our experience.'" (A. Gilbert, Maxfield Parrish: The Masterworks, Berkeley, California, 1992, p. 168)
Along with the strength and simplicity of composition which Fry praised, Parrish's talent for color is demonstrated in Evening. The high-keyed palette of blues and greens of the water and grass are contrasted with darker tones of forest green and the violet and ochre accents of the imposing trees. All of these elements are set against the cool, vibrant greenish, blue of the sky. In Evening Parrish employs his technical mastery to imbue a common scene with a sense of wonder, and to transform it into a romanticized image of mystical beauty.
Parrish began experimenting with landscape painting in the 1890s, painting and sketching around Cape Ann, Massachusetts and introducing landscape elements into his magazine and book illustrations. The turn of the century brought two consecutive commissions from Century Magazine, which had a profound effect on his landscape painting. During the winters of 1901-02 and 1902-03, Parrish traveled around Arizona to produce a series of paintings for Ray Stannard Baker's article "The Great Southwest." Parrish was immediately fascinated by the region's brilliant range of color and dramatic light, both of which created impressive effects against the unusual terrain. As Coy Ludwig points out, "the southwestern sunrises and sunsets, with their reflections of brilliant orange hues and shadows of purple and blue, and the craggy terrain of the canyons became forever a part of Parrish's artistic vocabulary." (Maxfield Parrish, p. 171) In between trips to the Southwest, Parrish went on another influential excursion, this time to Italy where he spent three months observing and gathering material to illustrate Edith Wharton's Italian Villas and Their Gardens. The subtle light and coloring Parrish found in Italy served as a balance to the dramatic topography and atmosphere of the Southwest. As in his best landscapes, the influence of both these Southwestern and Italian sojourns can be seen here in the present work.
In 1898, before setting out on either of these journeys, Parrish built a house and studio in the thriving artist’s colony of Cornish, New Hampshire. Established in 1885 by prominent American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the Cornish colony grew into a lively and productive community replete with artists, authors, playwrights and architects. Parrish lived and worked in this southwestern region of New Hampshire for the remainder of his life, and naturally, his immediate surroundings became the basis for his landscapes.
Central to Evening’s beauty is Parrish’s meticulous and time-consuming process of painting with glazes and a restrained use of bold pigments. Influenced by the Old Master painters, this was a meticulous process that resulted in magnificent luminosity and intensity of color. Evening exhibits all of the hallmarks of Parrish's best landscape paintings. The composition is comprised of majestic elms and, under the branches of the central tree, Parrish has depicted the familiar structure of Freeman Farm, located near his own home in Cornish. A recurring element in his landscapes, Parrish's inclusion of Freeman Farm establishes the location and adds a personal touch to the tranquil scene. The large trees and rocks that are featured prominently are painted in a manner unique to Parrish, using both cut-out silhouettes and photography and can be said to be the single most common element of his landscapes. Parrish explained his approach to landscape painting, which comes to fruition in Evening, "I feel that the broad effect, the truth of nature's mood attempted, is the most important, has more appeal than the kind of subject. 'Broad effect' is a rather vague term, but what is meant is that those qualities which delight us in nature--the sense of freedom, pure air and light, the magic of distance, and the saturated beauty of color, must be convincingly stated and take the beholder to the very spot. If these abstract qualities are not a painting it is a flat failure." (as quoted in Maxfield Parrish, p. 175)
In 1935, Parrish began painting landscapes for calendars with Brown & Bigelow Publishing Company. Evening is included in this group as it was published for a 1947 calendar. Specifically mentioning the present work as one of the best of Parrish's calendar landscapes, "Clair Fry of Brown and Bigelow wrote to Parrish in 1955 detailing the elements that made a picture a good calendar subject: 'The three pictures that stacked up the greatest volume were 'Mill Pond' (1948), 'Evening Shadows' (1953) and 'Evening' (1947). In comparing these three prints with all the rest of them, the thing that impresses me about them is the strength and simplicity of the color and value patterns...The one thing I am really sure of is that a successful calendar picture must have strength and simplicity that catch the attention and are comprehended at a glance. This is the one factor that is evident in every successful calendar picture in our experience.'" (A. Gilbert, Maxfield Parrish: The Masterworks, Berkeley, California, 1992, p. 168)
Along with the strength and simplicity of composition which Fry praised, Parrish's talent for color is demonstrated in Evening. The high-keyed palette of blues and greens of the water and grass are contrasted with darker tones of forest green and the violet and ochre accents of the imposing trees. All of these elements are set against the cool, vibrant greenish, blue of the sky. In Evening Parrish employs his technical mastery to imbue a common scene with a sense of wonder, and to transform it into a romanticized image of mystical beauty.