1922 Maxfield Parrish “Daybreak” House of Art Color Lithograph, Period Framed

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Description

An early House of Art example of Maxfield Parrish’s iconic Daybreak, presented in its wonderfully aged period frame.

Created at … Read more An early House of Art example of Maxfield Parrish’s iconic Daybreak, presented in its wonderfully aged period frame.

Created at the height of Parrish’s popularity, Daybreak became one of the defining images of American decorative art in the 1920s. The House of Art commissioned Parrish to create the composition specifically for reproduction, bringing the finished image into American homes through its published editions.

This example carries the printed “© The House of Art N.Y.” copyright at lower left and the Maxfield Parrish name along the lower edge. The old backing board bears a handwritten notation reading “Daybreak 1922.”

The composition depicts two figures on a classical terrace overlooking an imaginary mountain landscape, framed by monumental columns and dense foliage. This example has undergone substantial age-related color shift and fading, resulting in the predominantly blue-green and cyan palette it displays today.

The presentation is particularly appealing as a complete vintage object. The print remains under glass in an old textured frame finished in dark blue, bronze and antiqued metallic tones. The frame retains extensive surface wear and patina, while the reverse preserves its old backing board, nails/tacks and hanging wire.

The work has been left in its existing presentation rather than restored, preserving the character accumulated through decades of display.

Details:
Artist: Maxfield Parrish (1870–1966)
Title: Daybreak
Publisher: The House of Art, New York
Date: Circa 1922–1923
Medium: Color lithographic print
Printed marking: © The House of Art N.Y.
Printed artist name: Maxfield Parrish
Framed size: Approx. 20 × 12 × 1 inches
Presentation: Period framed under glass
Reverse: Old backing with handwritten “Daybreak 1922” notation See less