Robert Edge Pine (1730,

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

– November 18, 1788,

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

) was an English portrait and historical painter, born in

. He was the son of John Pine, the engraver and designer.

Career

He painted portraits, including of George II,

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

(in the National Portrait Gallery), the 1st Duke of Northumberland, a series of scenes from

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

, some of which afterward appeared in Boydell's ''Shakespeare'', and historical compositions, including ''Lord Rodney Aboard the Formidable'', which is now housed at Town Hall in

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit (landform), sand spit which connects the town of Por ...

. Pine was active in the society of artists and learned gentlemen in London, in particular the circle of the anatomist, William Hunter. Pine painted Hunter, Hunter's sister, Dorothy Baillie, and Baillie's husband, Prof. Rev. James Baillie. Pine also painted a vibrant portrait of the Captain William Baillie. Pine held radical political opinions; he painted

John Wilkes John Wilkes (17 October 1725 – 26 December 1797) was an English Radicalism (historical), radical journalist and politician, as well as a magistrate, essayist and soldier. He was first elected a Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlese ...

, MP, during his imprisonment and political exile, and his unfashionable views likely led to his exclusion from the founding group of the Royal Academy of Art in 1768. Nevertheless, Pine did exhibit at the Royal Academy in 1772, 1780, and 1784. Pine's views led him to friendships with others in England sympathetic to the cause of the American Revolution, such as the merchant, Samuel Vaughan, a friend of

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

, both of whom he painted. Around 1784, Pine travelled to America, taking with him an exhibition of a series of paintings depicting scenes and characters from William Shakespeare's plays and settled in

, where his time was completely taken up with portraiture. Among his sitters were General Gates, Charles Carroll, Robert Morris, Walter Stewart, George Read,

Thomas Stone Thomas Stone (1743 – October 5, 1787) was an American Founding Father, planter, politician, and lawyer who signed the United States Declaration of Independence as a delegate for Maryland. He later worked on the committee that formed the Arti ...

, Mrs. Reid (Metropolitan Museum, New York),

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

(1785),

Martha Washington Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (June 2, 1731 Old Style, O.S. – May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, who was the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, she served as the ...

, and other members of the Washington family. The portrait of Washington was engraved for Irving's ''Life of Washington'', but it is weak in characterization. An historically interesting canvas '' Congress Voting Independence'', now in the Historical Society, Philadelphia, was begun by Pine and finished by Edward Savage. In 1786, Pine was elected a member of the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

. After Pine's death many of his pictures were collected in the Columbian Museum in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. It is thought that Pine gave lessons to Prince Demah in London.

Gallery

Image:Congress voting independence.jpg, '' Congress Voting Independence'' Image:Mary Ball Washington(Pine).jpg, Portrait of Mary Ball Washington in 1786 Image:General William Irvine.jpg, Portrait of General William Irvine Image:Catharine Macaulay (née Sawbridge) by Robert Edge Pine.jpg, Portrait of Catharine Macaulay, an English historian Image:David Garrick by Robert Edge Pine.jpg, The actor

Image:Robert Edge Pine - Portrait of George Washington (1785) - Google Art Project.jpg, Portrait of

References

Sources

* Hart, "Congress Voting Independence", ''Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography'' 29 (1905): 1-14. *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pine, Robert Edge 1730 births 1790 deaths 18th-century American male artists 18th-century English male artists American history painters American portrait painters English emigrants to the United States English male painters English portrait painters Members of the American Philosophical Society Painters from London Painters from Philadelphia