Maxfield Parrish

Customer Reviews:

Glimpse of ethereal beauty.......2007-08-19

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 great reference for illustrators and art enthusiasts........2007-01-06

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.

Abundant, gorgeous color plates........2001-10-03

I, like you, want to own Daybreak--perhaps more so than any other painting. Sometimes an illustration entertains, perhaps greatly. Some evoke admiration, even gaping admiration. In the case of several Parrish paintings, admiration is merely the aftertaste of a much more powerful emotion: the craving to be in the space the artist has created, to have or to be the characters therein. A desire to truly exit this world and remain in the other. The list of works that affect me in that way starts off like this: It's A Wonderful Life, Oz, Narnia, Harry Potter's magical England, Parrish's Daybreak & Land of Make-Believe & Air Castles et al., Robert Heinlein's Glory Road, ERB's A Princess Of Mars... We read or watch or view them over and over again in an attempt to ease the longing.

This volume satisfied that craving long enough for me to catch my breath.

a gem, if only for the explaination of parrish's technique.......1999-09-18

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

The book made me more in love with Maxfield Parrish Work........1999-04-21

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.

Average customer rating:

Yes, for the love of children
Touching and memorable.
Imaginative and memorable poetry for all
A beloved classic
A wonderful and classic book!

Poems of Childhood (Scribner Classics)
Eugene Field
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Wynken, Blynken, & Nod

ASIN: 0689807570

Customer Reviews:

Yes, for the love of children .......2005-06-03

To answer the extremely perseptive reviewer, who seemed to have gotten so much more from this book than any body else besides myself...yes, Eugene Field had a son who died. He wrote a poem about it too, and it is called "Little Boy Blue". My mother used to torture herself reading this poem..and it got so bad she just couldn't any more. This book of poetry is just wonderful. The illustrations by the renown artist Maxfield Parish are a pure delight, a treasure unto themselves.
By Eugene Field
Little Boy Blue

The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and stanch he stands;
And the little toy soldier is red with rust,
And his musket moulds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our Little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.

"Now, don't you go till I come," he said,
"And don't you make any noise!"
So, toddling off to his trundle-bed,
He dreamt of the pretty toys;
And, as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our Little Boy Blue---
Oh! the years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true!

Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place---
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face;
And they wonder, as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our Little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.

Touching and memorable........2002-03-19

Some of these poems are for children. Some are merely about children. Some are for grown ups who love children. Some are for children who have no idea how dear they are to the grown ups in their lives.

Despite having had my copy of ýPoems of Childhoodý for ten years, I know absolutely nothing about Eugene Field save what I can infer from the poems in this collection. From their recurring themes, and the order in which they appear, I can guess that Field lost a child who was very precious to him . . . was slowly healed of his grief by the love and presence of other children . . . and was given a second chance with the birth of a new baby.

There are about 15 poems that hint of that lost child and a handful that juxtapose sleep and death, making me wonder if the baby died in its sleep. Other sad poems are merely wistful about beloved children who have grown up. Thankfully, there are just as many happy poems as sad ones: cheery verses about toys, imaginary creatures, and playground games. Field also wrote several ýlullabiesý that are perfect for rocking children to sleep, whether or not they are put to music.

I donýt know any other poet who has brought such dignity to "babytalk." Toddlers in his poems are called names like Pittypat, Tippytoe, Googly-Goo and Luddy-Dud. His imaginary fairies include Amberglee, Daisybright and Pilfercurds. Moreover, Iým sure that no other collection of childrenýs poems has this many terms for "dreamland"--Blinkiwink garden, Shut-Eye town, and Hushaby street, to name a few.

Though Field could be accused of writing the same poems over and over again, most of his verses have such distinctive _personalities_ that this is not entirely true. What they _all_ have in common is his delicate touch--yes, even the ones in which his voice turns rustic and homey--that has endeared him to children and grown ups alike.

Imaginative and memorable poetry for all.......1999-09-11

This was a book from my childhood and which I have searched for many years. So happy to find it at Amazon's. Maxfield Parrish, the illustrator , with his imagination was the right choice for this book of poetry. Eugene Field's love of children and the sadness which was part of his life makes the poetry memorable.

A beloved classic.......1999-05-25

I received this book as a gift when I was about 8 or 10, and it was one of my favorite all time books. The poems are dear and the illustrations are simply magical. This volume had poems I had heard before, like "Winken, Blinken, and Nod", and many that were new to me. Over the years, when I had to memorize a poem for school, it was always one of these I chose -- "Jest 'Fore Christmas", "The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat", and "the Dickey bird is singing in the Amphalula tree."

A wonderful and classic book!.......1997-11-13

One of my very favorite books of my childhood. The copy I have was given to my mother in her childhood, and she read the poems to me. This book introduced me to not only some wonderful poetry, but also to the amazing artwork of Maxfield Parrish. I'm delighted that Scribner's has reissued the book in the original design.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful work and nicely presented
Good mid- price Parrish book

Maxfield Parrish: 1870-1966
Sylvia Yount
Manufacturer: Harry N Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Maxfield Parrish: A Retrospective

ASIN: 0810943670

Amazon.com

Maxfield Parrish, the prodigiously gifted, turn-of-the-20th-century illustrator famous for his limpid blue landscapes and dreamy pubescent models draped in gossamer threads, has rolled in and out of artistic favor for nearly a century. In 1964, critic Lawrence Alloway wrote about Parrish's odd place in the history of American art: "He was the most popular artist the country ever produced, with prints in a quarter of all American homes at one time; and yet his kitschy compositions were considered risible among the educated art elite." Parrish himself had a sophisticated sense of his own place in the pantheon: "There are countless artists whose shoes I am not worthy to polish whose prints would not pay the printer," he wrote. "The question of judgement is a puzzling one." But new movements of the 1960s, including photo-realism and pop art, led to critical reappraisal of Parrish's oeuvre, and a few of the later new image painters, such as Joan Nelson, found sweet inspiration in his atmospheric skies and evocative, shadowy forests.

Parrish is finally receiving his due with this truly intelligent, fascinating book. It is the catalog to a traveling exhibition organized by the author, Sylvia Yount, the curator of collections at the Museum of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia--Parrish's alma mater and hometown, respectively. With Mark F. Bockrather, a conservator who elucidates Parrish's formidable craftsmanship, Yount has done a fine job of resurrecting Parrish yet again. She offers a sensitive analysis of the place his pastoral, idyllic, storybook innocence played in a world that Freud, the Great War, the Depression, and yet another world war inexorably tore to shreds. --Peggy Moorman

Book Description

Maxfield Parrish was one of the most popular American artists of the 20th century. His engaging covers for Scribners and Life, murals such as Old King Cole and the Pied Piper, and posters, calendars, and paintings have delighted viewers for over 100 years. This is the first critical examination of Parrish's place in the history of American art and culture.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful work and nicely presented.......2000-04-13

For a century, illustrators have been looked down upon by "fine artists." Finally, Maxfield Parrish, a truely FINE artist, gets his day. He's represented not as an illustrator, but as an artist. Having seen the originals 20 minutes prior to buying the book, I can say with confidence that the reproductions are the truest I have ever seen. A great in the art world (Daybreak was estimated to be in 25% of all American homes), the book is the best look back at an American great.

Good mid- price Parrish book.......1999-12-14

This is a good entry point into the world of Maxfield Parrish for the budget conscious. It provides the usual essay on the artist's life. What I found really useful was a description of his techniques in the fourth section.It includes infrared and microscopic cross section analysis of his canvasses. If you are looking for an even more economical book on Parrish, try Maxfield Parrish by Laurence and Judy Cutler by Gramercy books also published in 1999. It always intrigues me that published reproductions of his works always 'color' differently from book to book.

Average customer rating:

Excellent for every Parrish fan!
Perfect for Parrish fans!
My Favorite Coffee Table Book

Maxfield Parrish: The Masterworks
Alma Gilbert
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1580083293

Book Description

Now in its third edition, THE MASTERWORKS stands as the authoritative collection of Parrish's best works. Compiled by long-time Parrish expert and curator Alma Gilbert, THE MASTERWORKS brings together the most popular, most important, and most fanciful of Parrish's paintings. Here you'll find the glorious Dinkey Bird, the extensive Florentine Fete murals, the amazing Interlude, and the sublime Daybreak, which sold for a record $4.25 million at a Sotheby's auction in 1996. Also included are some of Parrish's lesser-known works, through which we see the development of the artist's style and technique. Through historical analysis, contemporary news clippings, and letters from the artist himself, we get to know the genius behind the artwork. Updated with all the current Parrish scholarship, this new edition of THE MASTERWORKS continues the grand tradition of celebrating Parrish's work and bringing his oeuvre to the public.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for every Parrish fan!.......2002-05-30

I bought this book and I never regret of getting another Parrish art book again. This artbook is excellent with deep details of Parrish's way of study through his paintings. Theories based on his view of perspective and composition, it is something great to read about! However, one little thing I personally find missing is the "Dream Days" series, that is missing from this artbook and should have been included. Otherwise, get the book and you'll fall in love with Parrish blue all over again.

Perfect for Parrish fans!.......2002-05-30

This book is excellent! It has one of the best Maxfield Parrish selected works. A lot of prints and images for you to be inspired all over again. It also contains pages of great readings, such as a section about Parrish's perspective theory and theory. It also show close-ups of Parrish's studies. It is a great read! However, the only thing disappoints me is the absence of the "Dream Days" series. Other than that, get it and you won't regret it!

My Favorite Coffee Table Book.......1998-12-25

Fabulous retrospective of Maxfield Parrish's finest work. The illustrations are superb. This book is expensive, but worth the money. If you're looking for a price guide, I suggest Erwin Flack's book. -- James Halperin, sf novelist and Parrish fanatic.

Average customer rating:

Great way to decorate on a budget
I agree...
My review is extremely favorable, and I mean every word.

Maxfield Parrish: The-Poster-Book
Maxfield Parrish , Alma Gilbert , and Maxfield Maxfield Parrish Poster Book Parrish
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898156246

Customer Reviews:

Great way to decorate on a budget.......2002-11-18

I just love the beautiful paintings of Maxfiled Parish and have wanted to place his works around my home for a long time. However, being on a tight budget makes this difficlut....at least it did until I got this book of posters. While the prints aren't as large as I would idealy purchace, the quality and quantity for the price can't be beat. This is a good, inexpensive way to get good-quality art onto your walls even on a pin-up poster budget.

I agree..........2000-06-17

I was hesitant to purchase a book of prints without being able to see it first, but what a great purchase it turned out to be. I would recommend this to any Parrish fan.

My review is extremely favorable, and I mean every word........1999-10-24

This book is tastefully constructed, and the quality of the prints is impressive. Aside from the amazingly coloured and detailed prints, a short biography is included for those newly aquainted with the artist. It is an excellent buy, not only for the purpose of economy, but with consideration to some of the lesser-known works. It is incredibly rare to see so many prints in one place. Anyone who has this collection can tell you that you will never regret buying it, and for that price you simply can't afford to pass it up.

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Maxfield Parrish Poster Book
Maxfield Parrish
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0517514028
Release Date: 1974-06-13

Book Description

Posters suitable for framing from the major periods of an artist known for his luminous colors, nymphlike forms, and the romance, flamboyance, and sensuality of his work. 24 posters in full color.

Maxfield Parrish Identification and Price Guide

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Advice From a Parrish Fanatic

Maxfield Parrish Identification and Price Guide
Erwin Flacks
Manufacturer: Collectors Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1933112344

Book Description

The long-awaited 4th edition of this best-selling price and identification guide is even more valuable than before. Last updated in 1998, this completely overhauled edition contains all-new prices, recently discovered Parrish items, and an updated introduction with the author’s reflections on how eBay and other online auctions have significantly affected the collector’s market. Informative, accurate, and with a 16-page section of full-color Parrish prints, gorgeous to behold, the guide is an indispensable reference for anyone interested in one of America’s most beloved illustrators.

Customer Reviews:

Advice From a Parrish Fanatic.......1998-12-25

Incredibly useful. I believe Flacks has written the most accurate and convenient pricing guide available for Maxfield Parrish collectors and anyone else who wants to figure out what a Parrish item is worth. If you're looking for a great coffee table book, I suggest Alma Gilbert's The Masterworks. -- James Halperin, sf novelist (The Truth Machine & The First Immortal) and Parrish collector.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful presentation of Parrish's work
Incredible if you want to see the master works!

Maxfield Parrish: A Retrospective
Laurence S. Cutler , Judy Goffman Cutler , and Maxfield Parrish
Manufacturer: Pomegranate Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0876545991

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful presentation of Parrish's work.......2006-03-02

The book is a lovely companion to my Maxfield Parrish print. The color plates are very close to the actual art work.

Incredible if you want to see the master works!.......1999-03-09

A definite must if you want to be inspired

Average customer rating:

Excellent illustrator;Oz author; nursery rhymes into stories

Mother Goose in Prose
L. Frank Baum
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486420868

Book Description

Published three years before the author achieved fame with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this engaging volume, inspired by well-known nursery rhymes, added an exciting new dimension to old, much-loved verses. Includes 22 captivating fantasies, including Old King Cole; Little Miss Muffet; The Cat and the Fiddle, many others. 12 black-and-white illustrations.

Download Description

Them also I know, said Mary eagerly, for she was glad her father should find her so well acquainted with the field flowers; "there is nothing prettier than the big white flowers of the cockle-shells. But tell me, papa, what have the flowers to do with your coming home?"

Customer Reviews:

Excellent illustrator;Oz author; nursery rhymes into stories.......2001-08-07

Maxfield Parrish black and white drawings complement L. Frank (Oz) Baum's expanded versions of the Mother Goose tales. Includes his versions of Sing a Song o' Sixpence, Little Boy Blue, Cat and the Fiddle, Old King Cole, Mistress Mary, Jack Horner, Man in the Moon, the Jolly Miller, Hickory Dickory Dock, Little Bo-Peep, Tommy Tucker, Tom the Piper's Son, Humpty Dumpty, The Woman Who Lived in a Shoe, LIttle Miss Muffet, and others. 1986 introducyion by Patricia Barrett Perkins. 265 pages.

The Arabian Nights: Their Best-Known Tales

Average customer rating:

Fun Read
Flights of Fancy
Like seeing a print instead of the original painting....
Not the Arabian Nights
charming but dated version of timeless tales

The Arabian Nights: Their Best-Known Tales
Kate Douglas Wiggin , and Nora A. Smith
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0684195895

Customer Reviews:

Fun Read .......2006-12-24

I enjoyed this book, it was actually given to me when I was a child but I didn't get around to reading it until now (I'm 20). I am in college so I make it a point to read classics and it can be kind of stressful because I am trying to get as much as I can out the books. So to me The Arabian Nights was a break from all the pressure.

The only thing that bothered me was that the endings were pretty much the same in all the stories and that is that the main characters all lived happily ever after to ripe old ages.

Flights of Fancy.......2001-12-25

This version of "The Arabian Nights" is a compilation of ten of the most popular of the stories contained in the original"Tales of a Thousand and One Nights". The original contains two hundred and sixty-four stories. A lovely touch to the Barnes and Noble edition is that they include eight illustrations by Maxfield Parrish. While these stories have been the subject of movies for children, the vocabulary is not exactly for children in the language in the book. The original stories were translated from Arabic into French by M. Galland, a Professor of Arabic in Paris, and then from French into English in several editions. The first manuscript is from 1450 or earlier and the French translation in 1704 became instantly popular. The flights of fantasy are absolutely spectacular and cannot be reproduced in movies as well as the words can do in the readers own brain. Castles, jewels, strange beasts, cannibals, powerful kings and queens and lovely men and women fill the stories that take place in China, India, Persia, Arabia, and on various islands nearby. The Barnes and Noble edition from 1993 contains the following tales: The Talking Bird, The Fisherman and the Genie, The Young King of the Black Isles, Gulnare of the Sea, Aladdin, Prince Agib, The City of Brass, Ali Baba, Codadad, and Sinbad. They are wild exotic stories, that are fun for adults to read also.

Like seeing a print instead of the original painting...........2001-07-09

I purchased this book wanting an inexpensive edition of the Arabian Nights. When I saw this edition was illustrated by Maxfield Parrish, I knew this would be a good one. Unfortunately, I can't shake the feeling that I am missing something in this edition.

I know that this is not the full collection of tales. I was disappointed that the editors didn't give us much of the framework that the original was set. There are only ten stories here, and they are not really linked together at all. It is more like reading an anthology than reading a coherent piece of literary work.

I also felt that something was missing in the translations. Although Allah is mentioned, they typically refer to God. Whether this is what the originals stated or if this is how it was translated by western scholars, I don't know.

When I saw this was illustrated by Parrish, I had images of his work throughout the book. Unfortunately, they are grouped together in a couple places with a small quote from the story they represent. Some of the pictures seem like they were created for something else, but looked close enough to work. Although the art is good, it doesn't fit into the book very well.

The flights of fancy are fun and this would be appropriate for children. I don't think adult readers would want this one.

Not the Arabian Nights.......1999-06-15

While looking through the list of books on mythology, I couldn't help but notice a number of books containing "Arabian Nights" in the title. I hate to burst the bubble of anyone who plans to read this book, but I can tell you immediately that these are not the tales of the Arabian Nights. Aladdin was a character added completely from the mind of a French "translator," and Ali Baba and Sinbad are not included in the orignal Arabian Nights. If you want a decent copy of the stories, look for Haddaway's translation. If you want a version of the story appropriate for children, tone down the sex and violence, but please stay true to the story!

charming but dated version of timeless tales.......1998-11-30

First published in 1909, this version of these magical tales suffers a bit from the moralism and prudery of the times. For example, in place of the original theme that Fate that can topple the mighty and favor the lowly -- the so-called Arabic fatalism in which all things are the will of Allah -- the Wiggins' have put stern lessons about the perils of dissipation and lack of constant virtue. Of course the sex is totally missing, which may be quite appropriate for an edition intended for children.

Otherwise, I would have to say that almost all the magic, wonder, and adventure that are associated with the 1,001 Nights are to be found herein. The Maxfield Parish paintings are wonderful.

One of the most dissapointing elements is the decision to not include the "frame story" about Sheherizade telling these tales over the fabled 1,001 nights. Also much reduced is the constant use of tales-within-tales, a hallmark of the Arabian Nights collection. Both these changes tend to simplify the book, perhaps in a way that will make it more accessible and less confusing to young readers. But, then, this is hardly the book for young readers who do not like a challenge, especially since the tales are complex and the turn of the century diction relies upon a lot of outdated words and word usage.

Personaly, this edition is most fascinating as a glimpse into our own culture's past -- to see how we viewed the exoticism of the East during an era of our own relative innocence.

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