The Flagler Museum is presenting “The Ethereal Worlds of Maxfield Parrish,” an exhibition of 25 works demonstrating the genius of the Philadelphia-born master (1870–1966) whose paintings evoke a dreamlike world that hovers between reality and reverie. Parrish was a leading figure in the Golden Age of American Illustration, whose approximately 900 commissions for advertisements, magazines, books, stage sets, murals, stationery, and children’s books made him world-famous. By 1925, one out of every four households in America possessed reproductions of his art in some form.
On view this season are artworks featuring his highly saturated colors (especially the distinctive “Parrish Blue”) and lustrous glazing techniques. The compositions often depict figures in lush landscapes that are both romantic and fantastical, often with a neoclassical flourish.
Originally named “Whitehall,” the Flagler Museum was built by the real estate developer Henry Flagler at the heart of his most prestigious creation, Palm Beach, Florida. It is a highly appropriate venue for this exhibition as its heyday overlapped with Parrish’s. When it was completed in 1902, the house was hailed by the New York Herald as “more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world.” Parrish often depicted such grand, idealized buildings, too.
Details at a Glance:
“The Ethereal Worlds of Maxfield Parrish”
Flagler Museum, Palm Beach, Florida
flaglermuseum.us
Through April 20, 2025
