©1018Maxfield Parrish Papers, 1891-1997 Maxfield Parrish Papers, 1891-1997 Haverford College Library Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by Apex Data Services, December 2000. ENG Maxfield Parrish Papers, 1891-1997 Haverford College Library Descriptive Summary Maxfield Parrish Collection, 1888-1986. Coll. no. 1018 4 document boxes and wrapped and framed items (ca. 5 linear ft. Haverford College Library

Haverford, PA 19041 USA

The papers of artist and illustrator Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966) who became enamoured of art while a student at Haverford College. The collection consists of letters, original drawings and illustrations, magazines to which he contributed, catalogs, calendars and his famous chemistry notebook created while a student at the college.

Contents of collection: Letters, photographs, transparencies, drawings, illustrations, notebooks, articles, exhibit catalogs, clippings, and other items related to Parrish and his wife, Lydia A. Parrish.

Includes 77 letters (1896-1951) of Lydia Parrish and 21 letters (1896-1912) of Maxfield Parrish addressed to artist Bertha Day Bates; topics include their friendship and appreciation of her work as an artist, news of family, friends and the Parrish's summer homes in New Hampshire and Vermont.

Also 22 letters (1891-1954) from Parrish related mostly to Haverford College affairs.

Drawings include caricatures (reproductions and originals) for Haverford College reunions (1891, 1894), Haverford Classbook (1889); also Christmas cards, book illustrations, magazine illustrations (for Century, Collier's, Scribner's and others) and advertisements.

College chemistry and physics notebooks of Parrish while at Haverford; also German textbook used by Parrish; Haverford College Athletic Annual (1897-1898); biographical material and bibliography on Parrish; calendar (1986); clippings (obituaries, etc.), articles on Parrish and criticism of his work.

Arrangement of collection: Collection is in 4 boxes and in packages wrapped separately on shelves. Box 1 includes photographs, transparencies and other items (see itemized list following); box 2 contains 22 letters of Parrish, drawings, clippings and other items (see itemized list following); box 3 contains magazine illustrations and other items (see itemized list following); box 4 contains letters of Maxfield and Lydia Parrish to Bertha C. Day (later Bates) (see list following of selected letters); framed artwork wrapped separately on shelves.

Biographical note

Maxfield Parrish (1870-1966), painter, muralist, book, magazine, art and advertising illustrator, a specialist with color and light, known for both his romantic and humorous art, was one of the most successful artists of the early 20th century. His star as a painter of carefully-detailed landscapes rose even as abstract art was ascendant. In the 1960s, the Pop Art movement embraced the imagery of commercial art and reintroduced figurative and objective elements, but even then Parrish's work had a differently-faceted quality. Parrish has been compared to Salvador Dali and other Surrealists.

Born in Philadelphia in 1870, he enjoyed the privileged childhood of a son of well-to-do Quaker parents, Stephen Elizabeth Parrish who took him on the Grand Tour of Europe and generally created a cultured environment for him. Parrish attended Haverford from 1888 to 1891; later he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. His first oil painting, Moonrise, was exhibited in 1893. Parrish traveled a number of times to Europe on commissions or to study painting masters; in his letters, he commented on the effect of the colors employed. In 1895, he married Lydia Austin who was not a Quaker and Parrish soon left the folds of the Society of Friends.

As an illustrator, Parrish's works appeared in books, magazines and posters. He also created a quantity of purely “commercial” art, earning a great deal of money through the sale of color reproductions, and, by the late 1920s, he was able to leave commercial art and to paint whatever he chose. By the 1930s, he had chosen to paint only landscapes.

Maxfield Parrish's subject matter came both from his own vivid imagination and from meticulously laid out still-life arrangements in the form of miniature landscapes and architectural models. Parrish regularly painted from photographs which he had made, and when transferring the images to his paintings, he made few major transformations in them.

His name became such a household word, that, by 1920 when F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his short story, “May Day,” he described the reflection in a restaurant window as being the color of “Maxfield Parrish moonlight.”

Biographical information from Coy Ludwig Maxfield Parrish. [New York]: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1973.

Gifts , 1941-1942; 1956; 1955; Nov. 1968; Feb. 1990.

Materials Cataloged Separately

Parrish calendars and posters have been removed to 988 E-R

Maxfield Parrish, 1870-1966 Box 1 of 4 (flat box)

Contents:

1. Chemistry notebook (done while a student at Haverford). Gift of F. Maxfield Parrish. Conservation completed in 1995. Note: removed from box to shelf. 2. Photocopy of Chemistry notebook (no. 1). 3. Five photographs (black and white) of pp. 19, 68-9, 40-1, 70-1, 72-3 and cover of Chemistry notebook. Gift of William Comfort, 1940. Eight photographs (color) of pp. 9, 17, 40, 46, 47, 57, 69, 78 4. Six transparencies (color) of pp. 68-9, 40-41, 70-1 (two copies), 32-3, 46-7 of Chemistry notebook. Gift , 1959. 5. Physics notebook, dated 1889. Gift of Henry Crew, 1956.

Also photocopy of Physics notebook

6. Woolman's Modern Language Series. First German Book, used by Parrish while a student and containing drawings and notes in his hand. Gift , 1942. 7. Photo reproductions of caricatures for the class reunions of 1891 (13) and 1894 (20). Two original ink and wash caricatures for 1894 (Walter Emmanuel Smith and Franklin B. Kirkbride). All are identified for 1891, 11 of the 20 from 1894. 8. Album of photo reproductions, caricatures for a class of 1889 dinner held in 1891, made by Franklin B. Kirkbride. All are identified. 9. Five caricatures on menu cards for 1891 reunion dinner. Original ink and water color, two with menu still attached and one menu unattached. Gift , November 1968. 9a. Pen and ink drawing “Man with cigarette + cane.” 10. Pen and ink drawings for the 1889 Haverford Classbook (one not used). Gift , 1955. “Baseball”, “historian”, “Baccalaureate”, “class poet”, “Banjo Club”, “track”, musician. 11. Announcement for Haverford College Athletic Association Second Annual Winter Meeting, 1891. 12. Chemistry final examination, Haverford College (n.d.). 13. Color photograph of experiment 74 from Chemistry notebook

(used in JAMA article).

14. A Compendious German Grammar, William D. Whitney (H. Holt and Co., 1888) with Parrish's monogram on cover and his autograph. Gift of Mrs. A. E. Hancock. 15. Three copies of the Haverford College Athletic Annual 1897-8

(one with annotations by Arthur Haines).

Box 2 of 4 (documents box) 1. Letters from Parrish:

Contents:

April 10 [year?] 1891 July 18, 1891 October 3, 1896 Mar. 24, 1901 June 8, 1901 April 7, 1904 Mar. 10, 1906 Feb. 21, 1910 Dec. 23, 1912 Feb. 5, 1913 Oct. 5, 1927 Feb. 24, 1928 June 20, 1928 June 30, 1928 Feb. 8, 1929 May 24, 1942? 1945? Sept. 19, 1944 Sept. 19, 1944 Oct. 15, 1946 Oct. 18, 1948 Nov. 31. 1948 Oct. 27, 1954 (photocopy) 2. Correspondence in re “A Master of Make-Believe”, Century v.84 no. 3, October 1911 - April 1912; also text of the article. Gift ; Copy of [1906] Hubert Herkimer letter. 3. Ink drawing of dragon, verso text of “The dragon's tale” (William Marot Griscom?) and an explanatory letter. 4. “Plum Pudding” (originally printed Harper's Weekly), set of cards from the Library of Congress. (2 sets - 1 opened) 5. Folder marked Biography and Criticism: 32 items, including a bibliography and Parrish's “Inspiration in the Nineties” from the Haverford Review. 6. Folder marked Clippings: 26 items from various periodicals

(mostly obituaries).

7. Folder marked Haverfordiana: photograph of “The College Cricket First Eleven, 1889” which includes Parrish (from the Athletic Annual?). 8. Folder marked JAMA Article: 2 items, Journal of the American Medical Association, 230:4 (October 28, 1974); drafts and proofs of article by David Fraser, “How Doctor Parrish's Great-Grandson Doodled His Way Through School - and Life!”. Box 3 of 4 (upright box) 1. “Silent Night” print, purchased from Valerie Kraft 1977. “Sunrise” 1956 2. Folder marked Exhibitions and Publicity: 28 items, including two catalogues of exhibits - Maxfield Parrish: a retrospect (the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, 1966) and Maxfield Parrish: Master of Make-Believe (Brandywine River Art Museum, 1974). 3. Folder marked Magazine Illustrations: “The Pied Piper” 1909, black and white (magazine proof?), gift 1941; “Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater... 1918, color print (advertisement brochure for Ferry and Co. Seeds), gift 1956; “The Clown” color print from a Parrish drawing, gift 1941; winged globe footing (advertisement for Collier's Magazine) in Century Magazine 72:1 (May 1906). 4. Set of Christmas cards: “Evening”, “Sunlight”, “Evening” (another work), “Peaceful Valley”, “The Old Glen Mill” (two copies), “Peaceful Night”, “When Day is Dawning”, “Evening Shadows” (three copies, two in paper matte and cropped). Gift , 1956-64. also “Quiet Solitude” 5. Folder Booknews (published John Wanamaker): Cover Oct. 1895 (allegorical figure with open book) Cover June 1897 (woman holding book, in landscape) 6. Folder Century Magazine, illustrations for: Envelope A - Dec. 1898 “Christmas Eve” Dec. 1899 “A Hill Prayer” July 1900 “The Story of Ann Powell” Jan. 1901 “Storm Song of the Norseman” Dec. 1901 “ “L'Allegro” and “John Cox his Book” Envelope B - May 1902 “The Great Southwest” June 1902 “The Great Southwest II” July 1902 “The Great Southwest III” and “A Note about M.P.'s Western Pictures” Aug. 1902 “The Great Southwest IV” Nov. 1902 “The Great Southwest...” and “The Southwest in Color” Envelope C - illustrations for series on Italian villas: Dec. 1903 Feb. 1904 April 1904 Aug. 1904 Oct. 1904 7. Folder Century Magazine, illustrations for: Envelope A - Nov. 1904 “Keat's `Poem to Autumn' ” Dec. 1904 “I'm Sick of Being a Princess” Aug. 1910 “Seven Green Pools” Feb. 1911 “Sing a Song of Sixpence” April 1912 “Decoration for...James T. Storrow” Aug. 1912 Curtis Company murals Dec. 1915 “Pipe-night at the Players” Envelope B - June 1921, Hire's Root Beer advertisement, color

(purchase 1985)

9. Folder Collier's magazine, illustrations for: Jan. 25, 1908 frontispiece “Circe's Palace”, color Dec. 12, 1908 cover “The Palace Guards”, color Feb. 4, 1911 cover “The Prospector”, color 10. Folder Collier's magazine, illustrations for: Dec. 3, 1904 cover “The Three Shepherds”, color, cropped Jan. 7, 1905 cover, Father Time winding clock, one color April 15, 1905 cover “Easter”, color May 6, 1905 cover “Spring”, color Dec. 16, 1905 cover “Christmas Number”, color cover, two characters in conversation, used in different colors for various issues - June 3 1905, July 8 1905, Mar. 4 1905, May 20. 1908 11. Folder Envelope A - Country Life, “Fit for a King” (Fisk Tire advertisement), color Envelope B - Harper's Bazaar, April 1895 “Easter”, color 12. Folder Harper's Monthly, April 1898, frame for photograph

(line drawing)

13. Folder Ladies' Home Journal, Sept. 1904 cover “Air Castles” [also called “Bubbles”], color 14. Folder Life Magazine, illustrations for: Dec. 1, 1900 cover (two men and Father Time) Dec. 1, 1921 cover (Three characters serving plum pudding) Oct. 19, 1922 (man in masquerade costume) Literary Digest, May 11, 1918 (Fisk Tire advertisement) 15. Folder McClure's Monthly, illustrations for: Nov. 1904 cover and illustrations for “Rawhide” (2 items) Photoreproduction of article “Rawhide” Jan. 1905 cover (allegorical figure with landscapes) 16. Folder St. Nicholas Magazine 1925 illustration for “The Sandman” 17. Folder, Saturday Evening Post, illustrations for: Sept. 20, 1924 Edison Mazda advertisement Dec. 27, 1924 as above, with store window background Feb. 7, 1924 as above, with additional figures July 4, 1925 Broadmoor Hotel (Maxwell House advertisement) 18. Folder, Scribner's Magazine, illustration for: Envelope A - Aug. 1897 “Its Walls were as of Jasper” Dec. 1897 cover Nov. 1898 “At an Amateur...” Dec. 1898 “Wagner's Ring...” April 1899 cover Envelope B - Aug. 1900 “The Duchess at Prayer” and “Play Up Piper Aug. 1901 “Phoebus on Halzaphon” Dec. 1901 cover, “The Turquoise Cup” Envelope C - Dec. 1902 “The Desert” Dec 1903 "A Venetian Night's Entertainment" July 1903 “Romance” Dec. 1904 “The Vigil-at-arms” Aug. 1905 “Potpourri” Envelope D - Aug. 1907 “Old Romance” Aug. 1910 “The Errant Pan” Aug. 1912 “Make Believe” 19. Scribner's Magazine October 1900, cover (purchase 1985) 20. Scribner's Magazine Christmas 1899, cover (purchase 1985) 21. Folder, Youth's Companion Jan. 3, 1924 “Polly Put the Kettle On” (advertisement for Jello) would appear to be different from Jello booklet in folder. 22. 1986, 1995, 1997 Calendars; 23. Arabian Nights prints 1. Heading and tailpieces for Colliers editorial page; pencil sketch showing human figures, architecture, flora, winged globe and cornucopia. 2. Harper's Weekly, Christmas 1896 issue

(Parrish illus. front and back cover)

3. “Old King Cole” (framed) 4.Ink sketch of man w/hands in pockets, w/ top hat, moustache (framed)

5. “Collier's - the National Weekly” pencil &amp38; wash, 15½" × 20" (framed) for Collier's editorial page, 1906 Signed on verso 6. “C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S” (framed) pen & ink, 27½" × 11" Study for Collier's, Dec. 15, 1906 7. “A rare chance! Don't Miss it” (framed) signed by Parrish. Pencil sketch of and prose re: Harry Thayer “world-renowned Merion drop kicker” [football] 8. Caricature: “DAVE” (framed) pen & ink 9. Caricature: man w/ cigarette & cane (framed) pen & ink; note: removed from frame and placed in Box 1, 9a. to box 3 1. Seven Arts News - “Maxfield Parrish the most original illustrator of the 20th century” - adv, for book by Coy Ludwig. 2. J. Stephen Lawrence, Rare Books catalog w/ M. Parrish illus. for “The Adlake Camera” on front cover April 28, 1981 catalog 53 Box 4 of 4 Parrish, Maxfield. Papers, Additions, 1895-1951 (bulk 1896-1902). Gift , February, 1990. 1 box, 99 items.

Bertha Bates Cole is the daughter of recipient of letters in this collection, Bertha Day Bates.

Danila Spielman is the daughter of the donor.

The majority of the letters in this collection (77) are from Lydia Parrish, a chronicler of African American folk music as well as the wife of artist Maxfield Parrish (from whom there are 21 letters). They write to Bertha Day later Bates. The letters cover a period of 60 years. They are chatty in style, full of news about the Parrish summer home in Cornish, NH and their residence in Windsor, VT and society in which they move; they are as well about family and appreciation of Bertha Bates work as an artist.

Bertha Day appears to have been a very close friend of both Lydia and Maxfield Parrish. The letters from both of them discuss at length their pleasure in seeing her. There is little reference to Maxfield (he signs himself primarily as Fred, though there are rarer occurrences of “Maxfield” and “F”) Parrish's work as an artist, and no mention of Lydia Parrish's work as a music chronicler

Following is a selective finding aid, items chosen for highlight on the basis of content.

usernote: “MP” = Maxfield Parrish This addition is in box 4 of Maxfield Parrish collection.

Letters of Maxfield and Lydia Parrish to Bertha C. Day later Bertha C.D. Bates, 1896-1951 Selected letters include: 1896 - LP to BD. July 27, 1896, Windsor, Vt. [mentions prizes won by MP for his work] - “Fred” (MP) to BD. Oct. 24, 1896, Windsor, Vt. [a “most inspiring time to paint”; is working on book covers and the like, Humpty Dumpty the latest of them] - LP to BD. Nov. 2, 1896, Windsor, Vt. [MP working on cover for Christmas issue of Harpers Round Table] - LP to BD. March 9, 1896, Windsor, Vt. [negotiations by Scribner's & others for MP's work] 1898 - LP to BD. March 22, 1898, Windsor, Vt. [ref. to work being done by MP with mention of Century & Scribner's and amount MP requires to work for former] - LP to BD. Oct. 20, [18]98, Windsor, Vt. [Dr. says MP has typhoid fever] 1899 - “Fred” (MP) to BD. March 20, 1899, Windsor, Vt. [menu art by MP to be exhibited by Soc. of Arts and Crafts of Boston] - LAP to BD. Sept. 6, [18]99, Windsor, Vt. [MP has finished drawing for Knickerbocker New York] 1901 - LAP to BD. March 2, 1901, Saranac Lake, N.Y. [MP coughs less; is working on Dream Days] - LAP to BD. March 27, 1901, Saranac Lake, N.Y. [MP is working on illustrations for Quiller-Couch story in Scribner's] - LAP to BD. Nov. 5, 1901, Windsor, Vt. [going to Grand Canyon and other points west for MP to do work for Century] 1902 - LAP to BDB. Sept. 25, 1902, Windsor, Vt. [they have had visits from several actors - Ethel Barrymore and writer Norman Hapgood] 1904 - LAP to BDB. April 29, 1904, Windsor, Vt. [MP to work for a year for Collier's and produce 30 drawings] - “Fred” (MP) to BDB. Dec. 13, [1904] [birth of son Dillwyn] 1906 - “Fred” (MP) to BDB. Aug. 15, [1906] [birth of son Max] 1911 - “Fred” (MP) to BDB. June 28, [1911] [birth of daughter Jean] 1914 - LAP to BDB. Oct. 20, 1914 [trials of doing what MP wants and raising a family, MP “does not stand for suffrage very keenly”] 1951 LAP to BDB. May 8, 1951, St. Simon's Island [oblique ref. to LAP's work]