Maxfield Parrish, 1870-1966
by Alma Gilbert
Parrish attended Haverford College where he graduated in 1892. He entered the Pennsylvania Academy in 1892 and stayed there through 1894, auditing some of Howard Pyle's classes at the Drexel Institute whenever he could. It was at the Drexel that he met the beautiful instructor Lydia Austin (1872-1953) whom he courted and married in 1895. It was in 1895, too, that he also received his first cover commission from Harper's Bazaar. This important first assignment gave him the financial means to marry Lydia at the age of 25. Their marraige produced four children: Dillwyn (1904), Max Jr. (1906), Stephen (!909) and Jean (1811).
Lydia and children 1908, Photograph by Maxfield Parrish,
Collection of the author.
Maxfield Parrish, 1910, portrait by Kenyon Cox
Courtesy National Academy of Design
This page was originally published in Resource Library Magazine. Please see Resource Library's Overview section for more information. rev. 10/28/11
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