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John Pine (1690–1756) was an English designer, engraver, and cartographer notable for his artistic contribution to the Augustan style and Newtonian scientific paradigm that flourished during the British Enlightenment.


Early life and apprenticeships

Little is known of Pine's parents or ancestry. Biographical sketches frequently refer to him as black or of African ancestry, especially in the lore of
Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, a society with which he became affiliated. However, the
United Grand Lodge of England The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the governing Masonic lodge for the majority of freemasons in England, Wales and the Commonwealth of Nations. Claiming descent from the Masonic grand lodge formed 24 June 1717 at the Goose & Gridiron ...
has not been able to verify such claims.Prescott, Andrew. "John Pine: A Sociable Craftsman." ''MQ Magazine''. Issue 10, July, 2004 Pine began his career as an apprentice goldsmith. He was also apprenticed to the French engraver
Bernard Picart Bernard Picart or Picard (11 June 1673 – 8 May 1733), was a French draughtsman, engraver, and book illustrator in Amsterdam, who showed an interest in cultural and religious habits. Life Picart was born in rue Saint-Jacques, Paris a ...
(1673–1733), who was associated with a movement described by historian Margaret Jacob as the "Radical Enlightenment".


Career

Pine was a close friend of
William Hogarth William Hogarth (; 10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, engraver, pictorial satirist, social critic, editorial cartoonist and occasional writer on art. His work ranges from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like ...
, who also began his career as an engraver. It appears likely that their careers were mutually reinforcing, even though Pine remained principally in the field of engraving while Hogarth became a famous painter. Hogarth painted Pine several times; once, in his 1749 engraving '' The Gate of Calais'', depicting him as a fat friar. Both men served as governors of the
Foundling Hospital The Foundling Hospital in London, England, was founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" ...
, and both were
Freemasons Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, a social affiliation that was also a means of marketing their talents. Pine was a member of the Lodge that met at the Horn Tavern in Westminster and joined with other Lodges to form the
Grand Lodge A Grand Lodge (or Grand Orient or other similar title) is the overarching governing body of a fraternal or other similarly organized group in a given area, usually a city, state, or country. In Freemasonry A Grand Lodge or Grand Orient is the us ...
in 1717. Pine engraved the frontispiece of the 1723 ''
Constitutions of the Free-Masons The history of Freemasonry encompasses the origins, evolution and defining events of the fraternal organisation known as Freemasonry. It covers three phases. Firstly, the emergence of organised lodges of operative masons during the Middle Age ...
'', which elevated his status as an artist and secured his position as principal engraver for the Grand Lodge. Subsequent work for the Grand Lodge included annual engraved lists of member Lodges, which provided details about the time and place of their meetings. These engravings included miniature signs for each Lodge symbolizing their meeting place, usually a tavern. Pine's work is an essential part of the record of early Freemasonry. He also engraved the first List of Lodges published in 1723. In 1731, Pine worked with
James Oglethorpe James Edward Oglethorpe (22 December 1696 – 30 June 1785) was a British soldier, Member of Parliament, and philanthropist, as well as the founder of the colony of Georgia in what was then British America. As a social reformer, he hoped to re ...
and the
Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America The Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America, or simply the Georgia Trustees, was organized by James Edward Oglethorpe and associates following parliamentary investigations into prison conditions in Britain. The organizatio ...
on the first conceptual map of the colony, illustrating many of its design principles. He may have prepared the more detailed plan for the town of
Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground ...
, the source of which remains an intriguing mystery to town planners (see the Oglethorpe Plan). In 1733–1737, Pine printed an edition of the works of
Horace Quintus Horatius Flaccus (; 8 December 65 – 27 November 8 BC), known in the English-speaking world as Horace (), was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus (also known as Octavian). The rhetorician Quintilian regarded his ...
, considered a masterpiece of 18th-century book art. He entirely engraved text and illustrations for the two volumes, which consist of hundreds of pages. Subscribers who underwrote the project included the
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the ruler ...
,
Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his trainin ...
,
Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century. An exponent of Augustan literature ...
, and Hogarth. In 1735, Pine successfully collaborated with Hogarth and
George Vertue George Vertue (1684 – 24 July 1756) was an English engraver and antiquary, whose notebooks on British art of the first half of the 18th century are a valuable source for the period. Life Vertue was born in 1684 in St Martin-in-the-Fields, ...
in obtaining passage of a law enacted by Parliament securing copyrights for artists. This law granted specifically to him copyright on some works not otherwise original enough to receive copyright under it. In 1755 he was among those who attempted to form a royal academy for the arts, but he did not live to see it established. Pine collaborated with surveyor
John Rocque John Rocque (originally Jean; c. 1704–1762) was a French-born British surveyor and cartographer, best known for his detailed map of London published in 1746. Life and career Rocque was born in France in about 1704, one of four children of a ...
on the first detailed map of London, published in 1746.


Legacy

Pine's achievements were recognized in 1743, when he became Engraver of His Majesty's Signet and Seals, and subsequently
Bluemantle Pursuivant Bluemantle Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms in London. The office is reputed to have been created by King Henry V to serve the Order of the Garter, but there is no documentary evidence of this. ...
of Arms in Ordinary. His son,
Robert Edge Pine Robert Edge Pine (1730, London – November 18, 1788, Philadelphia) was an English portrait and historical painter, born in London. He was the son of John Pine, the engraver and designer. He painted portraits, such as those of George II, of the ...
(1730–1788), became a notable portrait painter of the late eighteenth century in both England and America. He painted George II and the famous actor
David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1717 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil and friend of S ...
before emigrating to America where he painted Washington and other figures of the Revolutionary Era. Another son, Simon, became a miniature-painter in Bath. Pine's daughter, Charlotte, married the painter
Alexander Cozens Alexander Cozens (1717–1786) was a British landscape painter in watercolours, born in Russia, in Saint Petersburg. He taught drawing and wrote treatises on the subject, evolving a method in which imaginative drawings of landscapes could be wo ...
.Stewart, Robert G. ''Robert Edge Pine: A British Portrait Painter in America, 1784-1788''. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1979.


Selected works

*Frontispiece,
Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, trader, journalist, pamphleteer and spy. He is most famous for his novel '' Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in it ...
's ''Robinson Crusoe'', 1719 (a collaboration with John Clark) *Illustrations, Edward Ward's ''Nuptial Dialogues and Debates'', 1722 *Frontispiece, ''Constitutions of the Free-Masons'', 1723 *Illustrations, King George I at ceremonies restoring the
Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as ...
, 1725 *Illustrations, Henry Pemberton's ''View of Newton's Philosophy'', 1728 *Frontispiece, "Some Account of the Design of the Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia in America", 1732 *Reproduction of "King John's Great Charter", 1733 *''Quinti Horatii Flacci Opera'', 1733–1737 *''The Tapestry Hangings of the House of Lords: representing the several engagements between the English and Spanish fleets, in the ever memorable year MDLXXXVIII'', 1739 *" A Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster", 1746, in 24 sheets (a collaboration with surveyor John Roque) *"A View of the House of Commons", 1749 *"Virgil", containing the Bucolics and Georgics, 1753


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pine, John English engravers English cartographers 1756 deaths 1690 births