Clara Weaver Parrish
(1861-1925)
Alyss
ca. 1910-1915
Color etching on paper
Gift of Mrs. Henry Altheimer
1981.5.1
Clara Weaver Parrish
(1861-1925)
Rue du Sabot
ca. 1910-1915
Etching on paper
Gift of Mrs. Henry Altheimer
1981.5.2
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Parrish was a slightly older contemporary of Anne Goldthwaite, and they
followed similar career paths. Born in Dallas County, near Selma, Parrish
studied at the Art Students League with, among other teachers, William Merrit
Chase. Between 1898 and 1906, Parrish and Goldthwaite were in New York
simultaneously. Like Goldthwaite, she also traveled in Europe, and in
Paris began making drypoint portraits that she later exhibited in
New York.
Sometime in the 1890s Parrish began working for the Tiffany Studios as
a designer of stained glass. Her known designs (many in the form of
preparatory sketches) are for church windows.
A number of color etchings by Parrish exist in various collections in
Selma, and demonstrate her considerable ability. Most are portraits
of female models, with a few architectural compositions such as Rue du Sabot.
This etching by Parrish demonstrates the stylistic influence of one
of the greatest printmakers of the turn of the century, James McNeill
Whistler. The point of view is low, looking down a narrow street. A
minimum of detail is captured; instead, the artist has focused on the
surface textures of the various buildings, as well as a palpable atmosphere.
A key element of this particular impression is the freshness of the drypoint
work, which imparts a wonderful velvety black to the figures in the street
as well as the buildings on the left. In addition, the artist has left a
tone of ink on the plate, that is, it was not completely wiped bare of ink
on the surface before printing. This film helps to create the smoky richness
of diffused light. These techniques mimick the working methods of
Whistler, whose prints were widely admired in France and
England.
References on Page 14
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