"The Knave of Hearts: Lady Violetta and the Knave"   Lot no. 2542

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Maxfield Parrish’s most prestigious and recognized illustrations were published during the early 20th century for the children’s book The Knave of Hearts, written by Louise Saunders. Saunders was the wife of famed Scribner’s Sons editor Maxfield Perkins. Perkins commissioned Parrish to complete this series at the height of his career, a time when Parrish’s illustrations were displayed in one out every five American homes. Parrish had asked his good friend William Jennings Bryan for permission to paint his grandchild, Kitten Owen, as the model for images of Lady Violetta. Parrish completed 26 illustrations for Knave of Hearts, using many of his own household items as props. This last series of illustrations is known as Parrish’s greatest collection of work. The Owen family was rumored to have purchased The Lady Violetta and the Knave. However, this piece later appeared in Parrish’s estate, sold by his son, Maxfield Parrish Jr., during the end of his father’s life. The artist was known to keep his most prized works close to him in his home, approaching his death in 1966 - including The Lady Violetta.

 

"M.P" Signed Lower Right. Verso: "Maxfield Parrish, Windor, VT. 1924" (in white paint) Also: In upper left hand corner (in black ink) "This is to certify that this is an original Maxfield Parrish painting painted for the Knave of Hearts [signed] Maxfield Parrish, Jr., April 24, 1976"

Also in the artists hand (in white paint)...."The Knave of Hearts. The Lady Violetta and the Knave of Hearts open the oven foor to see if the tarts are done."

 

Illustrated:

Gilbert, Alma M. The Make-Believe World of Parrish and Sue Lewin. Pomegranate, 1990

Gilbert, Alma M. Maxfield Parrish: The Masterworks. Tenspeed Press, 1992, 1994, 2001

Gilbert, Alma M. Maxfield Parrish: Master of Make Believe, Trust for Museum Exhibitons. Exhibit Catalog. 2005-06

JVJ Publishing, Jim Vadeboncoeur; The Vadeboncoeur Collection of Images, Palo Alto, CA. Issue#13, Fall 2014

Exhibited:

Scott and Fowles Galleries, NY, NY. 1925

Vose Galleries, Boston, MA. 1976

La Galeria, San MAteo, CA. 1977

Maxfield Parrish Museum, Plainfield, NH. 1978

La Galeria, San Francisco, CA 1984

Alma Gilbert Galleries, Burlingame, CA, 1992-1993

Simic Galleries, Beverly Hills, CA 1993

Alma Gilbert Galleries, Burlingame CA 1994

Cornish Colony Museum, Cornish, NH 1998

National Exhibition of Maxfield Parrish: Society for the Four Acts 2005-2006

Parrish House Museum, Plainfield NH 2009

 

 

Explore related art collections: Books / $100,000 & Above / 1920s / Romance / Fairy Tale / Children

See all original artwork by Maxfield Parrish

ABOUT THE ARTIST

To behold the work of American illustrator Maxfield Parrish (1870–1966) is to enter into a fantasy world of ethereal beauty. Whether a book illustration, magazine cover, painting or mural commission, his flawlessly rendered subjects and fairy-tale settings are infused with a sense of mythical beauty unmatched by any artist in his wake

A Unique Approach

The magic and sublime spirit of Parrish’s work is the result of his unique approach to painting. He began with a white base which served to illuminate the image from the first layer up through to the last. Repeated layering of varnish on the surface of the pigment heightened the vibrancy of his colors, yielding shades like the famous "Parrish blue," a rich cobalt that is now indelibly associated with the artist. This singular technique allowed Parrish to convey textures and patterns with the intense detail and saturation of color that became trademarks of his best works.

This May, a museum-quality collection of 11 works by Maxfield Parrish pay tribute to the superior talent and unique vision of this seminal artist. A leading highlight of the collection is Sing a Song of Six Pence, measuring over 13 feet long and painted as a mural for the hotel bar of the Sherman House in Chicago, Illinois. Parrish began his career painting a mural of Old King Cole for the University of Pennsylvania in 1894, and was immediately recognized for his ability to render exquisite detail on a monumental scale. He often projected photographic images and then painted directly on the surface of his murals, which may account for the veracity of the features displayed in this work.