The Cellar - June 2nd, 2019 : Daybreak

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- - June 2nd, 2019 : Daybreak (http://cellar.org/showthread.php?t=34320)

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.

http://cellar.org/img/Daybreak1.jpg

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.

http://cellar.org/img/Daybreak2.jpg

Quote:

Parrish eventually moved out of The Oaks and into the studio with Susan Lewin. His wife began to take long trips with their four children. The arrangement scandalized Plainfield, but Parrish and Lewin claimed to have only a Platonic friendship.

He hadn't finished with Susan Lewin, though. Their arrangement continued for 55 years until Lydia Parrish died in 1960. Maxfield Parrish was 90, Susan Lewin was 71, and they could finally marry. He declined, and she left him to marry someone else.

Ha ha ha, you go girl. :thumb:

Here is a discussion by seemingly knowledgeable people about his painting technique and it’s possible effect on the
great variation in the copies out there.

http://cellar.org/img/Daybreak3.jpg

Now don’t you feel more knowledgeable on fine art? How about pedestrian art? :haha:

link

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce (Post 1033406)

… Now don’t you feel more knowledgeable on fine art?

If Fred's intention was that the two columns allude to the Pillars of Hercules, then becoming more knowledgeable was implied à la Sir Francis Bacon:

Quote:

… The Pillars appear prominently on the engraved title page of Sir Francis Bacon's Instauratio Magna ("Great Renewal"), 1620, an unfinished work of which the second part was his influential Novum Organum. The motto along the base says Multi pertransibunt et augebitur scientia ("Many will pass through and knowledge will be the greater"). …

[Bold mine]
Attachment 67928

What makes you think he was trying to allude to the Pillars of Hercules? :confused:
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.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I wouldn't pay much money though because my judgment/taste shouldn't be trusted.

I guess you wouldn't want to pay investment-level funds for it, but when it comes to art I figure it's worth what it's worth to you. We have a giant painting in our bedroom that a lot of people would say I paid too much for (several hundred,) but I love it. It brings me joy, so I say it's worth it.

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. :blush: