Pyle, Howard (1853-1911), an American painter, became one of the most influential illustrators of his time. As an art teacher, Pyle helped develop the talents of American artists such as Maxfield Parrish and N. C. Wyeth.
Pyle combined vigorous draftsmanship with a rich imagination. His sense of pictorial design and his firm, expressive style of drawing has been compared with that of the German Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer. Pyle’s energy and creativity enriched the tradition of American illustration.
The books that Pyle wrote and illustrated continue to attract young readers. They include The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (1883), Pepper and Salt (1886), Twilight Land (1895), and The Story of King Arthur and His Knights (1903). For many years, Pyle illustrated pages in Harper’s Monthly and drew illustrations for books written by other authors.
Pyle was born on March 5, 1853, in Wilmington, Delaware, and studied at the Art Students League in New York City. He was an art teacher at Drexel Institute in Philadelphia. He died on Nov. 9, 1911.
