Lady Violetta and the Knave Examine the Tarts 1925

Maxfield Parrish created this painting of Lady Violetta and the Knave, and what strikes me is the glow. Parrish built up layers of transparent glazes, that luminous light coming out of the dark box, like some otherworldly fairy tale. I can imagine him layering glaze upon glaze, that sense of building up this dream-like scene, carefully rendering the figures and objects with smooth, porcelain-like finish. The Knave looks skeptical as Lady Violetta peers into the dark box, her blonde hair illuminated by the mysterious light. Maybe Parrish was thinking about the old masters, like Rembrandt, but he gave it his own spin. It's like he's inviting us into this theatrical world, where anything is possible and nothing is quite what it seems. And that light, right? It's as if Parrish is saying, let's find the magic in the ordinary, let's make art that sparkles and enchants.