Page:Dictionary of Artists of the English School (1878).djvu/354

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which is engraved in Woolfe and Gandon's work.

PICOT, Victor Marie, engraver. Was born at Abbeville, in 1745, and studied his art in Paris. He was brought to England about 1766 by Wynne Ryland, and about 1770 was living with Ravenet, whose only daughter Angelica, herself a clever artist, he married. About 1773 he kept a print-shop in St. Martin's Lane, about ten years later in the Strand, and afterwards in Chandos Street. In 1766 he was elected a mem- ber of the Incorporated Society of Artists. He excelled in the then prevailing dot manner, and engraved after Serres, Bar- ralet, De Loutherbourg, and others. He returned to France in 1790, and died about 1805.

PIDDING, Henry J., subject paiivter. He chose humorous scenes and subjects from still-life, excelling in his painting of dead fish. He exhibited at the Royal Aca- demy, commencing in 1824, works of this class, and from the same year with the Society of British Artists, of which body he became a member in 1843, and continued an exhibitor till his death. He enjoyed some reputation, and several of his pictures were made popular by engraving. Of these may be named, 'The Fair Penitent/ a 'Negro in the Stocks' 'The Battle of the Nile Re-fought/ two Greenwich pensioners laying out a diagram of the battle with fragments of tobacco pipes, both of which were engraved by himself. He died at Greenwich, June 13, 1864, aged 67. He practised in the reign of Charles I., and was noted as a painter of history and land- scape. He painted several ceilings and altar-pieces, and was skilled also in archi- tectural design, but his chief works were destroyed by the Great Fire. He was some time engaged by Vandyck as an assistant. After the Restoration he was employed in repairing the injuries done by the Puritans to the altar-pieces in the Lon- don churches. He died soon after this time, and was buried at Stamford. He etched a book of designs for friezes, 1640.
 * PIERCE. Edward, ornamental painter.

PIERCE, Edward, statuary and archi- tect. Son of the above. Was pupil of Edward Bird. He practised in the latter half of the 17th century, and was some time assistant to Sir Christopher Wren, under whom he built the Church of St Clement, Strand. He executed the statues of Sir Thomas Gresham and of Edward III. for the Old Royal Exchange, the four dragons at the angles of the pedestal of the monument on Fish Street Hill, the busts of Newton and Wren for the theatre at Oxford, a fine vase for Hampton Court Palace, and, his chief work, a large and pretentious monument to William, Lord Maynard, at Little Easton, Essex. He

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died at Surrey Street, Strand, 1698, and was buried in the Savoy.

PIERCE, John. Another son of the foregoing, who was bred a painter, and is said to have attained some eminence, but no traces remain of his art.

PIETERS, John, history and portrait painter. Was born at Antwerp, 1667, and studied painting there. Came to England in 1685. Was very poor, and not meeting with the encouragement ne had hoped as a history painter, he engaged himself as an assistant to Sir Godfrey Kneller, who em- ployed him upon the draperies and back- grounds of his portraits. In 1712 he left Sir Godfrey and found the same employ- ment with others. He was a good copyist of the works of Rubens, but his chief busi- ness was as a repairer. He became drunken and imprudent, and died in London, 1727. He was buried in the churchyard of St Martin's.

PILKINGTON, Sir William, Bart., amateur. He was of a very ancient family, and succeeded to his title in 1811. He was a good scholar, a man of taste, and a clever landscape painter. He also showed some skill in architecture, and Butterton Hall, Staffordshire, was built after his designs. He died near Wakefield, September 30, 1830, aged 75.

P1LLANS, R., marine painter. He practised in the second half of the 18th cen- tury, and painted both storm and calm, sea- shore views with fishermen, harbours, and vessels.

PILLEMENT, Jean, landscape and marine painter. He was torn and educated at Lyons. Went to Paris for his improve-, ment, and then to Vienna. After the peace of 1763 he came to London, and enjoyed here a great reputation. Between 1773-80 he was an occasional exhibitor with the Artists' Free Society. He painted land- scapes, marines, subject-pictures, and also flowers. His landscapes were greatly in vogue, and he was the fashionable teacher of his day. He worked both in oil and pastelle, but he was best known by his water-colour drawings. He was fond of gay colours and violent effects. His manner was spirited, and his compositions pleasing. Many of his works were engraved in Eng- land, Woollett, Mason, Elliot, and others working after him. He advertised the sale of his paintings and drawings in 1773, being, on account of his health, advised to relinquish all business, and retire to Avig- non. He styled himself painter to the King of Poland and to Marie Antoinette. Queen of France. He died at Lyons, where he passed his latter days, in 1808, in his 80th year. He was a clever etcher. <*PINE, John, engraver. Born 1690. He kept a print-shop in St Martin's Lane,

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