EARLY MAXFIELD PARRISH

Gomes, Rosalie

Black and White Being the Early Illustrations of Maxfield Parrish

New York: Thumtack Books, 1982.

BEFORE THE COLOR—PARRISH’S EARLY ILLUSTRATIONS IN THEIR ORIGINAL MONOCHROME FORM

A focused visual survey of Maxfield Parrish’s early career, presenting the artist before the luminous color work that would define his reputation. These illustrations—produced for magazines and early book work—highlight Parrish’s draftsmanship, compositional clarity, and emerging decorative style. Seen in black and white, the emphasis shifts to line, contrast, and structure, revealing the foundation beneath his later, more widely recognized color imagery.

CONDITION: Tall quarto softcover. 14 inches tall. 112 pages. Fully illustrated in black and white, reproducing Parrish’s early published illustrations as originally issued. No flaws or blemishes; minimal retail handling. A clean, bright, gift-quality copy.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
+++ Documents the formative phase of Maxfield Parrish’s career, emphasizing the period when his work appeared primarily in black-and-white reproduction for magazines and early publications.
+++ Reveals the structural and illustrative discipline underlying his later color masterpieces, offering insight into technique, composition, and narrative development.
+++ Reflects a broader late 20th-century reassessment of illustrators as serious artists, contributing to Parrish’s continued critical and collector interest.
+++ Serves as a reference point for understanding the transition from print illustration to the golden age of American visual culture.

Item #002648
ISBN: 0942480007

Price: $24.00