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Maxfield Parrish letters

 Collection
Identifier: HC.MC-801-02-010

Scope and Contents

The collection contains a series of letters written by Fred or as he was later known Maxfield Parrish, addressed to his grandma. The letters were all written in Paris and Hastings in the early 1880s. In them, Parrish describes his days and his relationship with his parents.

Dates

  • Creation: August 1884 - January 1885

Creator

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Standard Federal Copyright Law Applies (U.S. Title 17)

Biographical / Historical

Maxfield Parrish (1870 - 1966), born Frederick Paris in Philadelphia, PA, was an American painter and illustrator.

He was raised in Quaker society. Between 1884 and 1886, he traveled Europe - England, France, Italy - with his parents and during this trip, he was exposed to European architecture and art, which inspired him to become an artist himself. In years 1888-1890, he attended Haverford College where he studied architecture, however after two years, he left and between 1892 and 1895 he furthered his education in art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. There he studied under impressionists Robert Vonnoh and Pollock Anschutz.

Parrish was active in the art industry for more than fifty years. In 1900, he became a member of the Society of American Artists (1900). He illustrated commercial books such as Arabian Nights or Poems of Childhood, worked with popular at magazines and in 1922, he produced his most famous work called Daybreak - two female figures in a landscape, which is the most popular art print of the 20th century. Most of his paintings featured androgynous nude figures and landscapes.

Parrish married Lynda Ambled Austin in 1895. They had four children together. He died at the age of 95 in Plainfield, New Hampshire.

Extent

.01 linear ft. (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection contains a series of letters written by Fred or as he was later known Maxfield Parrish, addressed to his grandma. The letters were all written in Paris and Hastings in the early 1880s. In them, Parrish describes his days and his relationship with his parents.

Arrangement

The letters are arranged chronologically.

Related Materials

Maxfield Parrish papers (HC.MC.1018) Quaker and Special Collections, Haverford College, Haverford, PA.

Processing Information

Processed by Alexa Horkava, completed December 2020

Title
Maxfield Parrish letters
Author
Alexa Horkava
Date
December, 2020
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections Library

Contact:
370 Lancaster Ave
Haverford PA 19041 USA US