Robert Wylie
1839
–1877
BirthplaceIsle of Man, England
Death placeBrittany, France
BiographyIn his brief but successful career, Robert Wylie earned a strong reputation for his depictions of traditional peasant life in Brittany, a rural region of France. He was born on the Isle of Man, a British dependency in the Irish Sea, and he immigrated to the United States as an infant with his parents. Orphaned at an early age, Wylie was raised in Philadelphia by his uncle, a Presbyterian minister. It was in this city that Wylie developed skills as a craftsman, specializing in carving ornamental ivory handles for umbrellas and parasols. Hoping to become a fine art sculptor, he enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts at the age of sixteen. His talent as a draftsman was quickly recognized. Over time, Wylie rose from a student to a leadership role at the Academy, first as a committee member in charge of artists’ classes, and later as curator, responsible for managing exhibitions, collections, and the building itself. He also taught informally during this time.
Beginning around 1857, Wylie made the transition from craftsman to artist by carving and modeling relief portraits and allegorical works. He was nominated for associate membership in the Pennsylvania Academy in 1859. Following a visit to London in 1859 or 1860, Wylie helped found the Philadelphia Sketch Club, an organization whose members met weekly to sketch from assigned themes.
Wylie traveled to Paris in 1863 to further pursue study in sculpture, joining a small circle of artists from Philadelphia. Thwarted in his attempts to enter the prestigious Académie des Beaux-Arts, he enrolled in the Académie Suisse, which offered little formal instruction. He honed his drawing skills and began to paint. In the summer of 1864, Wylie visited the town of Pont-Aven in Brittany. He was the first artist to settle there, eventually attracting a community of American artists around him. He formed close relationships with local residents, many of whom became modes for his detailed paintings. Wylie began exhibiting his peasant scenes in the Paris Salons in 1869. In 1872, his painting The Breton Sorceress (1872, Bradford Museums and Galleries, West Yorkshire, England) won a second-class medal, the highest award given to a foreign artist. With that triumph, the Paris art dealer Goupil et Cie contracted to sell his original paintings as well as engraved reproductions. This partnership ensured Wylie's financial stability.
Beginning around 1857, Wylie made the transition from craftsman to artist by carving and modeling relief portraits and allegorical works. He was nominated for associate membership in the Pennsylvania Academy in 1859. Following a visit to London in 1859 or 1860, Wylie helped found the Philadelphia Sketch Club, an organization whose members met weekly to sketch from assigned themes.
Wylie traveled to Paris in 1863 to further pursue study in sculpture, joining a small circle of artists from Philadelphia. Thwarted in his attempts to enter the prestigious Académie des Beaux-Arts, he enrolled in the Académie Suisse, which offered little formal instruction. He honed his drawing skills and began to paint. In the summer of 1864, Wylie visited the town of Pont-Aven in Brittany. He was the first artist to settle there, eventually attracting a community of American artists around him. He formed close relationships with local residents, many of whom became modes for his detailed paintings. Wylie began exhibiting his peasant scenes in the Paris Salons in 1869. In 1872, his painting The Breton Sorceress (1872, Bradford Museums and Galleries, West Yorkshire, England) won a second-class medal, the highest award given to a foreign artist. With that triumph, the Paris art dealer Goupil et Cie contracted to sell his original paintings as well as engraved reproductions. This partnership ensured Wylie's financial stability.