William Pyne

William Pyne, the second son of John Pyne (1727–1794), a weaver, and Mary Craze, was born in London on 21st April 1769. He showed great talent as a artist and his father sent him for instruction at the drawing school of Henry Pars. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to William Sharp. (1)

Pyne's biographer, Harris Myers, has pointed out: "Pyne developed quickly a great facility for drawing and at the age of sixteen was inspired by Philippe Jacques de Loutherbourg to introduce into his works realistic groups of figures and animals following some characteristic occupation." (2)

Critics have claimed that he was influenced by the work of Thomas Rowlandson. Pyne first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1790. He submitted three watercolours, Travelling Comedians, Bartholomew Fair, and A Puppet Show. He also began working with the successful London publisher, Rudolf Ackermann. Their first collaboration, Book with Groups of Figures for Decorating Landscapes appeared in 1798. (3)

In 1804 he was one of the four artists who originated the idea of founding the Society of Painters in Water Colours. The following year the publisher, William Miller, commissioned him to write and illustrate The Costume of Great Britain. The book included 60 full-page paintings of professional and working-class men and women and scenes from everyday life.

Photograph of weaver and spinner in Wales. — William Pyne, *Worsted Winder* (1805)

This included a painting of a worsted winder: "The female figure portrayed... is employed in winding worsted upon bobbins, preparatory to its being placed upon the loom, to weave into lace... There are various modes of winding worsted and silk for this purpose, some of which, though very complicated in appearance, are managed with great dexterity, so admirably are the different machines contrived... The making of silk and worsted lace is a beautiful branch of weaving, having of late years, attained high perfection." (4)

One of the most popular of the illustrations was of a pillory: "The ignominious punishment of the pillory has been inflicted upon certain delinquents, even from the time of the Saxons, with whom it is supposed to have originated in our country. Formerly every place that held a leet, or market, was to have a pillory, and tumbril, to punish offenders; and a leet might be forfeited for not taking care to have a pillory... The pillory was more generally in use in former times than at present. Many crimes that subjected the perpetrator to this disgrace, are now expiated by fine and imprisonment." (5)

William Pyne, The Pillory, The Costume of Great Britain (1805) — William Pyne, *The Pillory* (1805)

In 1808 the publisher, Rudolf Ackermann began his most ambitious venture, The Microcosm of London. Completed in 1810 it contained 104 large folio hand-coloured aquatints. William Pyne wrote the text and helped Thomas Rowlandson and Augustus Pugin with the illustrations. Other work for Ackermann included Cottages and Farm Houses in England and Wales (1815).

As well as book illustrations, Pyne wrote for several journals such as the Literary Gazette, Arnold's Magazine of the Fine Arts, the Library of the Fine Arts, and Fraser's Magazine. He also established his own weekly magazine, Somerset House Gazette. However, it was discontinued after a year.

Pyne was not a successful businessman and in 1828 he was imprisoned in King's Bench Prison for debt. His friends arranged for him to be released and this enabled him to work on History of the Royal Residences (1829) and Lancashire Illustrated (1831). However, in 1835, he was once again confined in the debtors' prison. (6)

As the author of William Henry Pyne and His Microcosm (1998) has pointed out: "Though long popular, Pyne had become an obscure, almost forgotten figure at the time of his death from apoplexy at 2 a.m. on 29 May 1843 at Pickering Place, Paddington, Middlesex, after a long illness." (7)

Primary Sources

(1) William Pyne, The Costume of Great Britain (1805)

The female figure portrayed... is employed in winding worsted upon bobbins, preparatory to its being placed upon the loom, to weave into lace... There are various modes of winding worsted and silk for this purpose, some of which, though very complicated in appearance, are managed with great dexterity, so admirably are the different machines contrived... The making of silk and worsted lace is a beautiful branch of weaving, having of late years, attained high perfection.

William Pyne, Coal-Heavers (1805)

(2) William Pyne, The Costume of Great Britain (1805)

Among the many laborious avocations essential to the support of society in a high state of civilization, perhaps none can be found that demands greater bodily exertion, than the various departments of the coal trade... We may consider coal as one of the most valuable productions of this island; for to it we owe the superiority of many of our manufactures, particularly in iron and steel... British coal is esteemed to be so superior of that of other countries for the manufacture of this metal, that many thousand tons are annually exported to different parts of Europe for that purpose.

(3) William Pyne, The Costume of Great Britain (1805)

The ignominious punishment of the pillory has been inflicted upon certain delinquents, even from the time of the Saxons, with whom it is supposed to have originated in our country. Formerly every place that held a leet, or market, was to have a pillory, and tumbril, to punish offenders; and a leet might be forfeited for not taking care to have a pillory... The pillory was more generally in use in former times than at present. Many crimes that subjected the perpetrator to this disgrace, are now expiated by fine and imprisonment.