Maxfield Parrish, the American painter, illustrator and designer, received his early training in painting and etching from his father. Later, after studying architecture at Haverford College, PA Maxfield changed to painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, all the while he simultaneously attending classes given by American illustrator Howard Pyle.

He was inspired by the graphic style of such artists as Alphonse Mucha. Maxfield created posters, cover designs and illustrations for popular American periodicals, including Harper’s Weekly, The Century, Collier’s and Scribner’s Magazine, as well as, many calendars and books. The dominant influence for Parrish were the Pre-Raphaelite paintings.

Maxfield Parrish was an accomplished draughtsman and a great technical painter. He was a perfectionist, striving against becoming too technical and improving his spontaneity. Early in his career he used pencils, inks, crayons and lithographic pens on watercolor paper. It wasn't until later in his very successful career that he moved into oil painting, always preferring paper and water media.

In 1905 to 1909, Parrish worked on large-scale paintings. These works were done on canvas that he applied to panels, called canvassing panels. After preparing his support, he would lay out the composition in pencil. If figures were to be used, they were worked out on paper and then placed into the composition.

Parrish’s characteristic subject-matter included woodland scenes, populated by fairies, medieval maidens and knights in armour. Working from photographs, he developed a richly colored palette, becoming noted for his "Maxfield Parrish blue" and his meticulous attention to detail using some very unusual techniques.

For his painting technique,the first color he would use was ultramarine blue. After this layer dried, he gently used pumice to smooth the surface and then applied a coat of varnish, placing a layer between the first painting layer and the next layer. He repeated these steps through the entire execution of the painting, allowing the painting to dry in the sun, when possible. Some of his paintings have 60 or more layers in the final work. He did not use mixed colors, but instead, mixed the colors directly on the painting surface. His painting layers were built up with glazes mixed with varnish. This technique is closest in comparison to those used in four-color halftone printing over a white base.

In 1900, he exhibited at the Exposition Universelle in Paris and at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, NY. He also executed a number of large murals for hotels and clubs in New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Colored prints and calendars adapted from his paintings sold in millions during his lifetime, as well as, today.