A Place of Beauty: The Artists and Gardens of the Cornish Colony

by Alma M. Gilbert, Judith B. Tankard

At the turn of the century, the artists' colony in Cornish, New Hampshire, was considered the most beautifully landscaped village in America. Its rolling hills and lush, fairy-tale scenery drew some of the nation's most gifted artists, including sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, illustrator Maxfield Parrish, and architect Charles Platt. A PLACE OF BEAUTY celebrates this historic locale, highlighting the dazzling flower gardens and renowned landscapes and architecture that inspired the artists who called the colony home. Illustrated with paintings by the colony artists, sepia-toned photographs of the historic gardens, portraits of the major artists, and present-day photos depicting restored gardens and homes. Publication coincides with a major retrospective of Maxfield Parrish's work touring fine art museums across the country. Awards:2001 Quill & Trowel Award Winner, Garden Writers Association of AmericaGold Medal Award, Massachusetts Horticultural Society

144 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2000

Reviews

[Bjipson · Rating 3 out of 5]

After seeing the Maxfield Parrish exhibit at the Currier Art Museum, I remembered visiting Cornish NH some years ago and getting this book about the Cornish Colony and its gardens. It seems as though these elaborate gardens have no longer been kept up, due to the extreme maintenance requirements, but boy, would I love to see where they WERE. Perhaps some one of these years the Open Garden program will include some, and in the meanwhile, I'd like to go back to the St. Gaudens property which IS maintained. An interesting, if slight, book with information on the denizens of Cornish and their artistic landscaping.
I'd love to know more about where some of the artwork of Maxfield Parrish and others might be now.