Howard Pyle rediscovered.

• Position: American Masters

HOWARD PYLE (1853-1911) was one of America's most popular illustrators and storytellers during a period of explosive growth in the publishing industry. A celebrity in his lifetime, Pyle's widely circulated images of pirates, knights, and historical figures were featured in publications such as Harper's Monthly and were admired by such artists and authors as Vincent van Gogh, Mark Twain, and Norman Rockwell. In celebration of the centenary of Pyle's death and the lasting influence of the artist's work, "Howard Pyle: American Master Rediscovered" is on view through Oct. 28 at the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Mass.

The exhibition features 79 original paintings and drawings created by Pyle between 1876-1910. "When Howard Pyle died in 1911, he left behind an extensive body of over 3,000 works of art and a lasting legacy of inspired teaching," says Stephanie Plunkett, chief curator at the Norman Rockwell Museum. 'q-his exhibition features an outstanding selection of the artist's best known and rarely seen paintings, drawings, prints, and archival materials that shed light on the artist's career as a painter and a consummate storyteller in a changing world at the cusp of the 20th century."

"Admired by ... his contemporaries, Pyle's exacting working methods resulted in the creation of artworks of singular beauty and...