No American artist gained greater popularity or commercial success during the first three decades of the twentieth century than Maxfield Parrish. His combination of ethereal colors, exotic characters, and fanciful castles became a feature of American popular culture through his work for the major mass-circulation illustrated magazines, including Scribner's Magazine, Century, Life, and Collier's. His advertising posters for a multitude of products, ranging from Jell-o to Fisk tires; his children's book illustrations; and his art prints made the Parrish name known throughout the country. The latter work, begun in the early 1920s, became the avenue by which Parrish achieved his widest acclaim; by 1936 his rocky landscapes and idealized maidens were nearly unrivaled in popularity. The 17 February 1936 issue of Time reported that "as far as the sale of expensive color reproductions is concerned, the three most popular artists in the world are van Gogh, Cezanne, and Maxfield Parrish."

Maxfield...