Howard Pyle (1853 – 1911) was a very popular illustrator and storyteller in America at the end of the 19th century. This is the period that there was an explosive growth in the publishing industry. He crafted a unique approach to the illustration art by immersing himself in the art of his time. His illustrations appeared in magazines like Scribner’s Magazine, St. Nicholas, and Harper’s Monthly, gaining him international exposure. On top of viewing original works of art in private and public collections in New York, Philadelphia and Wilmington, he engrossed contemporary imagery through, reproductive prints, illustrated books and periodicals and fine art reproductions (photomechanical). The broad appeal of his imagery made him a famous person in his lifetime. Pyle tailored his style to suit the story being illustrated, borrowing from a broad range of styles, including Aestheticism, Pre-Raphaelitism, American and realist painting Symbolism.
His success as an artist was enhanced by his knowledge of his audience of and appreciation of the many European and American sources that he quoted and referenced. The artist’s body of work includes images of European up to the 18th-century. Pyle’s illustrations of the primeval world showed his interest in traditional subject matter prominent in academic painting in Europe. He particularly had a passion for the Middle Ages and he illustrated and wrote several works set in medieval England and Europe. His pirate imagery is a unique combination of his own personal vision and historical accuracy – it’s perhaps his best known work. His most enduring and strongest images are those depicting the United States, both in the past and present.
