June 2nd, 2019 : Daybreak

Maxfield Parrish (his real name was Fred) was born in Philly, and his father was an artist, who took Max on a tour of Europe
when he was 10. Max went the Pennsylvania College of Arts then shared a studio with his Dad in Gloucester, MA.
Max had a wildly successful career as an illustrator along with Norman Rockwell and N.C. Wyeth when the demand was at it’s peak.
He was making $100,000 a year doing mostly calendars and ads by 1910, which is $2.7 million today. Not bad for a guy in his 20’s.
Then in 1922 Max created Daybreak, we looked upon it, and said it was good.



Some snooty experts called it pedestrian art, but we pedestrians loved it.
I read in the following years 25%, 1 in 4 families, had a copy in their home.
And why not, it’s calm, sort of dreamy, kind of classic/classy, and the nymphs are kind of sexy.
It’s something you can stare at while drinking a cup of coffee or a beer, and drift off lost in your thoughts.

Then I looked at Google images I see all these picture of the same thing but very different.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce … Now don’t you feel more knowledgeable on fine art?

What makes you think he was trying to allude to the Pillars of Hercules?
There were a shitload of buildings/places with columns and the presence of Nymphs expands the territory exponentially.

At daybreak there's an awakening which can be a metaphor for learning new things. Couple this with columns (not trees, bushes, statues...etc.) and two columns at that (not 1,3,4...etc.). It exudes symbolism akin to the Pillars.

Yeah, I guess that works for you, they remind me of erections.

I guess it's like that old saying:

One man's pedestrian art is another man's fine art.

(or something like that)

Most of what the experts call fine art they could wrap fish with it for all I care, but every once in awhile I see something (not painted on velvet) I really like a lot. I wouldn't pay much money though because my judgment/taste shouldn't be trusted.

Sure, I have a half dozen cheap paintings, $5 in the 1950's, done on gray shirt cardboard complete with happy little trees,. I love 'em.
I would't consider art an investment, more like a crap shoot.
Yeah, yeah people have made fortunes on art, people have also made fortunes on the lottery too, but the odds are bad.
Art investment is for people with too much money, and it's not about art, it's about bragging rights.

Oh, and art, like diamonds and drugs, are only worth what someone is willing to pay. When shit hits the fan... worthless. Except maybe the drugs.