Michael Parkes "Maria" Fantasy Realist Surrealist Painting, Framed

A large-format work by Michael Parkes, the American-born fantasy realist whose paintings occupy the charged territory between classical figuration and dreamlike surrealism. Titled Maria, the composition places a semi-draped female figure atop a rocky column rising through a luminous cloudscape — floating monoliths press in from above and right, a white swan crosses the open sky, and a small golden harp-like device crowns her upswept hair while a scorpion tail curves at her back. The figure reaches upward with open palms, equal parts prayer and command, as ribbon-like drapery streams downward into the clouds below. The rendering is meticulous: the geological texture of the suspended boulders, the sheen of the figure's pink and ochre robes, the soft atmospheric recession of cloud and stone — every surface resolved with the unhurried precision that defines Parkes at his best.

Parkes, born in Missouri in 1944 and based in Spain since the 1970s, built his international reputation through Steltman Galleries in Amsterdam and became one of the most widely collected artists working in the fantasy realist tradition. His paintings, stone lithographs, and giclées circulate through a dedicated global collector base drawn to his synthesis of symbolist iconography, classical draftsmanship, and mythological imagery. Maria is presented in a black wood frame with a deep dusty-rose double mat and cream fillet that echoes the salmon and ochre tones of the figure's drapery.

CONDITION

Very Good. Image presents with strong color and no apparent fading. Scuffs to the frame consistent with handling. Not examined out of frame.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Frame: 32" × 39"
• Sight/Image: 21" × 29"
• Artist: Michael Parkes (American, b. 1944; based Spain)
• Title: Maria