Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/13



PICK'ERSGILL, Frederick Richard 1820-1900). An English painter, born in London, nephew of Henry William Pickersgill. He studied under his maternal uncle, the landscape painter, William Frederick Witherington, and became a student in the Royal Academy in 1839. His early compostions — "The Brazen Age" (water color), "Œdipus Cursing His Son Polynice," and "The Combat Between Hercules and Achelous" — had little distinction, but more successful were the cartoon "The Death of King Lear," which was exhibited at Westminster Hall in 1843 and won second prize, and "Amoret," a scene from the Faerie Queene, which finally passed to the National Gallery. In 1847 his -The Burial of Harold at Waltham Abbey," a colossal oil-painting, took the first of three prizes offered by a royal commission, and soon afterward was bought for the new Houses of Parliament. Pickersgill became an associate of the Royal Academy in 1847 and a member in 1857. For many years lie was a regular exhibitor, and from 1873 to 1887 was keeper of the Royal Academy. His subjects were diverse, though the majority of them represented scenes in Spenser or in Italian history. Among the best are: "Samson Betrayed by Delilah" (1850). "Love's Labor Lost" (1855), and "Corsairs Throwing Dice for Their Prisoners" (1867).

PICKERSGILL, Henry William (1782-1875), An English painter, born in London, At the age of sixteen he entered the silk-manu- facturing business, but soon turned to painting and was a pupil of George Arnold, A.R.A., from 1802 to 1805, when he Ijecame a student in the Royal Academy. His early compositions include, besides portraits, subjects taken from history, poetry, and mythology, but later his energies were directed chiefly to portrait work. In 1806 he first exhibited at the Royal Academy, where during a period of more than sixty years nearly four hundred of his canvases were seen. In 1822 he became an associate and in 1826 a mem- ber of tile Royal Academy, of which he was librarian from 1856 to the time of his death. He painted many of the prominent people of his time. These portraits, though for the most part want- ing in distinction, are good likenesses. In the National Gallery are his "Tlic Syrian Maid" and his portraits of Wordsworth, Jeremy Bentham, George Stephenson, M. G. Lewis, William God- win, Hannah More, and Sir Thomas Noon Tal- fourd. Among his other portraits are: Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Sir .John Herschel, Faraday. Cuvier, Humboldt, the Duke of Wellington, Hal- lam, and Robert Vernon. Many of his portraits and other pictures were engraved. His son, Henry Hall Pickersgill (d.l861), was also a painter, first exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1834 with "The Troubadours," Among his works are "Holy Water," "Charity," and "The Right of Sanctuar}'." PICKET (OF. piquet, picquet, Fr. piquet, peg, diminutive of OF, pique, picque, Fr. pique, pike, probably from Lat. spica, point, car of grain, tuft of a plant, pin). A military term having several meanings. Specifically it is used as de- scribing a small body of men posted at some point beyond the general line of sentries for the purpose of observing the motions of an enemy or giving timely notice in ease of impending attack. (See OUTPCST. ) Formerly, in the British Army the term was applied to a military punishment, in which the culprit was held by the raised arm in such a position that his whole weight fell on one foot, which was supported on a picket with a blunt point. The time the man thus stood was proportioned to the olTcnse. It was a peculiarly inhuman form of punishment, and is now strictly forbidden. In camp, horses are said to be pick- eted wlien secured to a picketing rope. Pegs of wood or iron used to secure tent ropes are also called pickets. In all English garrisons and camps a small body of men under a corporal or sergeant, and known as a garrison picket, pa- trols the lines or city as a disciplinary check on the troops and a support to the militaiy police (q.v.). See .dvance Guard; OrTPOSx; Patrol, PICKETING, In labor wars, the practice pursued by trades-unions of stationing outposts near the place of employment where a strike is in progress, for the purpose of dissuading work- men not affiliated with the union from taking service with the employer against whom the con- test is being waged. In theory a matter of per- suasion, picketing, in strikes where feeling runs high, is apt to assume the form of intimidation against non-union workmen, and as such has come witiiin the cognizance of the police, who, as a