Howard Pyle: The Father of American Illustration

"I have painted some pirates because of paintings like this [Pyle's 'Extorting Tribute from the Citizens'; see below]. And I'm always humbled at what he achieved- which looks so true, and yet so effortless... (...) Pyle was a consummate storyteller with images." — Don Maitz
"While Pyle’s most familiar works remain the images of rakish pirates, tough cowboys and noble knights populating children’s adventure novels, they are the paradigms, prototypes, and stereotypes that will forever remain our models." — American Illustrator website

Howard Pyle died on this date in 1911.

Imagine if there had been no Frank Frazetta. No N.C. Wyeth. No Jeffrey Jones or Don Maitz. Pyle influenced all of them.

Howard Pyle has rightly been called “The Father of American Illustration.” Before Pyle, there was a definite shortage when it came to American commerical art of true consequence and lasting value. After, there was a flowering of popular artistic excellence—perhaps— unparalleled in the entire history of art.

In the late 1890s, Pyle established various schools of art in Wilmington, Delaware and beyond. Pyle’s movement has been called the “Brandywine School” in reference to the river that ran along the banks next to Pyle’s various artistic seminaries. Contrary to the prevailing artistic trends, Pyle promoted capturing the moment over technical expertise. As he once said, ''Art is not a transcript nor a copy. Art is the expression of those beauties and emotions that stir the human soul.'' New printing processes allowed quality reproductions of art in books within the budgets of common Americans. Pyle believed they should have quality art that spoke to them.

The pupils Pyle taught included N.C. Wyeth and Frank Schoonover. In all, Pyle taught well over one hundred students. In some ways, Pyle was a grizzled non-com training his recruits to go out and train further heartbreakers and life-takers in the field of American illustration. As a result, Pyle’s influence spread far and wide. Just one example should suffice. Dean Cornwell taught Walter Baumhofer. Cornwell was taught by Harvey Dunn, a student of Pyle. N. C. Wyeth, an influence upon Frazetta and coutless other artists, studied under Pyle. Hal “Prince Valiant” Foster was an avid fan of Pyle, along with various Brandywine students like N.C. Wyeth. Just as Genghis Khan can count thousands of descendants, so can Pyle point to hundreds—if not thousands—of outstanding artistic heirs.

Pyle could bask in the shared glory from paintings created by his students, but his own work is plenty bad-ass in its own right. Pyle is the man who visually defined “the pirate” in American minds. Another artist dethroning his vision is unlikely. Long before Frazetta staked out a claim to “The Barbarian”, Pyle had painted—by way of numerous works—“The Pirate.” Pyle’s paintings of pirates form a bedrock from which all other depictions derive. One painting in particular, “Attack on a Galleon,” was an inspiration to both Wyeth and Frazetta.

Check out the gallery below and appreciate the work of a man who can rightfully claim the title of “The Father of American Illustration”.