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Lot Essay
The Manager Draws the Curtain is a whimsical example of Maxfield Parrish's work in which he invites the viewer into his world of wonder. The present work is one of twenty-five paintings the artist made for illustrations in Louise Saunder's 1925 book, The Knave of Hearts. This was Parrish's final book commission and the illustrations, including The Manager Draws the Curtain, are some of his richest and most innovative.
The Knave of Hearts was originally written as a play for children and performed at the Cornish, New Hampshire summer colony where Parrish and Saunders were neighbors. Parrish saw great potential in transforming the story into a book, writing to Charles Scribner's Sons in 1920, "The reason I wanted to illustrate The Knave of Hearts was on account of the bully opportunity it gives for a very good time making the pictures. Imagination could run riot, bound down by no period, just good fun and all sorts of things." (S. Yount, Maxfield Parrish 1870-1966, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1999, pp. 86-88) Scribner's listened and the book was published five years later, becoming an immediate success.
Paul W. Skeeters writes of The Knave of Hearts, "This book is probably one of the most beautiful and artistically impressive children's books ever published in America. The twenty-five illustrations in color, including cover, end-sheet and title pages, and story illustrations, most of which were painted especially for this book between 1923 and 1925, may be enjoyed individually, and apart from the text, as works of art. They represent the peak of Parrish's work in fantasy." (Maxfield Parrish: The Early Years 1893-1930, Los Angeles, California, 1973, p. 250) Indeed, works such as The Manager Draws the Curtain manifest the rich imagination and subtle wit that make Parrish one of America's most celebrated illustrators.
Parrish posed for the present work and also for another illustration in the book, The End. In the present work he acts as the master of ceremonies, dressed as a thespian and welcoming the viewer into the story by dramatically drawing back the stage curtain to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of landscape beyond. This image recalls Charles Willson Peale's famed painting The Artist in His Museum (1822, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), which Parrish would have seen when he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Robert Vonnoh and Thomas Anshutz from 1892 to 1894.
Central to the success and timeless appeal of The Manager Draws the Curtain is Parrish's meticulous and time-consuming process of painting with glazes. Influenced by the Old Master painters, this was an arduous process that resulted in magnificent luminosity and intensity of color. Parrish began with a white base which served to light the canvas from the first layer up through the last. Then, using a stipple brush, he applied paint directly from the tube, subsequently layering pure pigment and varnish over and over to achieve a heightened vibrancy of colors resulting in a smooth, rich luminosity. The Manager Draws the Curtain's enamel-like surface and richly saturated hues are characteristic of Parrish's work. Here he employs color theory, juxtaposing deep reds and greens to heighten the effect of each and create a visually arresting composition.
The Manager Draws the Curtain splendidly demonstrates Parrish's ability to blend Old Master technique with his commercial sensitivity and fanciful wit to create a timeless and enchanting portal into a fantasy world.
This work retains its original frame, which Parrish created in his studio before gifting the painting to Louise Saunders.
CAPTION
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827), The Artist in His Museum, 1822, oil on canvas, 103 3/4 x 79 7/8 in. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Gift of Mrs. Sarah Harrison (The Joseph Harrison, Jr. Collection), 1878.1.2
The Knave of Hearts was originally written as a play for children and performed at the Cornish, New Hampshire summer colony where Parrish and Saunders were neighbors. Parrish saw great potential in transforming the story into a book, writing to Charles Scribner's Sons in 1920, "The reason I wanted to illustrate The Knave of Hearts was on account of the bully opportunity it gives for a very good time making the pictures. Imagination could run riot, bound down by no period, just good fun and all sorts of things." (S. Yount, Maxfield Parrish 1870-1966, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1999, pp. 86-88) Scribner's listened and the book was published five years later, becoming an immediate success.
Paul W. Skeeters writes of The Knave of Hearts, "This book is probably one of the most beautiful and artistically impressive children's books ever published in America. The twenty-five illustrations in color, including cover, end-sheet and title pages, and story illustrations, most of which were painted especially for this book between 1923 and 1925, may be enjoyed individually, and apart from the text, as works of art. They represent the peak of Parrish's work in fantasy." (Maxfield Parrish: The Early Years 1893-1930, Los Angeles, California, 1973, p. 250) Indeed, works such as The Manager Draws the Curtain manifest the rich imagination and subtle wit that make Parrish one of America's most celebrated illustrators.
Parrish posed for the present work and also for another illustration in the book, The End. In the present work he acts as the master of ceremonies, dressed as a thespian and welcoming the viewer into the story by dramatically drawing back the stage curtain to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of landscape beyond. This image recalls Charles Willson Peale's famed painting The Artist in His Museum (1822, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), which Parrish would have seen when he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts under Robert Vonnoh and Thomas Anshutz from 1892 to 1894.
Central to the success and timeless appeal of The Manager Draws the Curtain is Parrish's meticulous and time-consuming process of painting with glazes. Influenced by the Old Master painters, this was an arduous process that resulted in magnificent luminosity and intensity of color. Parrish began with a white base which served to light the canvas from the first layer up through the last. Then, using a stipple brush, he applied paint directly from the tube, subsequently layering pure pigment and varnish over and over to achieve a heightened vibrancy of colors resulting in a smooth, rich luminosity. The Manager Draws the Curtain's enamel-like surface and richly saturated hues are characteristic of Parrish's work. Here he employs color theory, juxtaposing deep reds and greens to heighten the effect of each and create a visually arresting composition.
The Manager Draws the Curtain splendidly demonstrates Parrish's ability to blend Old Master technique with his commercial sensitivity and fanciful wit to create a timeless and enchanting portal into a fantasy world.
This work retains its original frame, which Parrish created in his studio before gifting the painting to Louise Saunders.
CAPTION
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827), The Artist in His Museum, 1822, oil on canvas, 103 3/4 x 79 7/8 in. Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Gift of Mrs. Sarah Harrison (The Joseph Harrison, Jr. Collection), 1878.1.2