Howard Pyle, Master Illustrator
Galleries 4, 5 & 6
Peggy H. Woolard Galleries
One of the most beloved and influential illustrators of his time, Howard Pyle was born in 1853 in Wilmington, Delaware. He studied with a local artist before embarking on a short stint at the Art Students League in New York City in the 1870s. During his time in New York, Pyle regularly sold illustrations to the popular press so that when he returned to Wilmington in 1880, he was already an established illustrator. His rapid rise to popularity was due to his remarkable gift for seizing and expressing the dramatic gist of a story. Using carefully researched locations and costumes, along with vivid lighting and compositions, Pyle transformed the written word into impressive and unforgettable images. An articulate and demanding teacher, he communicated these skills to his many students, teaching them to put themselves “in the picture.” Howard Pyle was also a prolific writer, authoring and illustrating 24 books, including The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, published in 1903. In addition to his own books, Pyle illustrated more than a hundred books, and his art appeared in all the major magazines of his day. Always seeking new forms of expression, in 1910 Pyle departed for his first visit to Europe, where he sought to revitalize his career as a painter and muralist. Sadly, death cut short his ambitions and he passed away unexpectedly in 1911 in Florence, Italy. After his death, the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts, an early incarnation of the Delaware Art Museum, was founded in 1912 for the purpose of exhibiting his work and preserving his legacy. To this day, illustrators, cinematographers, and fantasy lovers everywhere, acknowledge Howard Pyle’s continuing importance. |
