Lady Violetta and the Knave Examine the Tarts 1925

Maxfield Parrish made this painting of Lady Violetta and the Knave, we don't know exactly when, but he was playing with layers of translucent glaze in the most beautiful way. You can really see how the light transforms into this ethereal, almost otherworldly glow, like he's baking light into the painting itself. I'm really drawn to the way Parrish plays with textures. Look at the smoothness of the plates on the shelf compared to the almost granular quality of the wall behind, the deep green sheen of the vase next to the warm glow coming from within the dark interior of the tarts. And that light! It almost feels like it's being emitted from within the objects themselves. I think what's so compelling about this piece is the way it balances realism with fantasy. Parrish has a strong graphic sensibility, like that of Aubrey Beardsley, but his work uses colour and a command of light and shade to create a believable, immersive depth of space. But what's really great about art is that it's not about answers, it's about possibilities.