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'''Henry Gyles''' or '''Giles''' (1640?-1709), was an English [[glass painter]] based in [[York]]
{{Short description|English glass painter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
'''Henry Gyles''' or '''Giles''' (1640?-1709), was an English [[glass painter]] based in [[York]].


==Life==
He was the fifth child of E[dmund?] Gyles, and resided in [[Micklegate]], York. To him is due the revival of the art of pictorial glass painting, which had become quite extinct in England. His earliest dated [[Stained glass window|window]] (1682) is the large west window of [[York Guildhall]] at York. His best known work is the east window in the chapel of [[University College, Oxford]], presented by Dr. Radcliffe in 1687. Gyles also presented some stained glass for the hall of University College, and did works for [[Wadham College, Oxford]], and also for [[Trinity College Cambridge|Trinity College]] and [[St. Catharine's Hall, Cambridge|St. Catharine's Hall]] at [[Cambridge]]. In 1700 he painted a large window for Lord Fairfax at [[Denton, Yorkshire]]. There were some figures painted by Gyles in the [[Leeds Grammar School|grammar school]] at Leeds, but these were disposed of in 1784 to a local antiquary.
He was the fifth child of E. (perhaps Edmund) Gyles,<ref name=dnb/> a glazier from York,<ref name=tate/> and lived in [[Micklegate]] in the city. His entry in the first edition of the ''Dictionary of National Biography'' credits him with "the revival of the art of pictorial glass painting, which had become quite extinct in England." His earliest dated [[Stained glass window|window]] (1682) is the large west window of [[York Guildhall]]. His best-known work is the east window in the chapel of [[University College, Oxford]], presented by Dr. Radcliffe in 1687. Gyles also presented some stained glass for the hall of University College, and did work for [[Wadham College, Oxford]], and for [[Trinity College, Cambridge|Trinity College]] and [[St. Catharine's College, Cambridge|St. Catharine's Hall]] at [[Cambridge]]. In 1700 he painted a large window for Lord Fairfax at [[Church of St Helen, Denton|Denton, Yorkshire]]. There were some figures painted by Gyles in the [[Leeds Grammar School|grammar school]] at Leeds, but these were disposed of in 1784 to a local antiquary.<ref name=dnb/> According to the ''Dictionary of National Biography'', "Gyles was not particularly successful in colour or design, and little of his work can now be appreciated, owing to the perishable enamels which he employed."<ref name=dnb/>


Gyles was a friend of the antiquary [[Ralph Thoresby]], who frequently mentions him in his diary and correspondence,<ref name=dnb/> at one point describing him as "the famousest painter of glass perhaps in the world". Both men were members of the "[[York virtuosi|York Virtuosi]]", a group of artists and intellectuals who met at Gyles' house. Other members included fellow artists [[Francis Place (artist)|Francis Place]], William Lodge and John Lambert, the doctor and naturalist [[Martin Lister]], and the antiquarians [[Thomas Kirke]] and [[Miles Gale]].<ref name=tate>{{cite web|url=http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/gyles-stonehenge-t08901/text-catalogue-entry|publisher=Tate |accessdate=16 January 2014|title=Henry Gyles Stonehenge }}</ref> Place often sought commissions for Gyles through his contacts in London, and Place's publisher, [[Pierce Tempest]], provided him with Flemish, Dutch and German prints which he used as sources for his designs.<ref name=tate/> The group's antiquarian interests are reflected in a drawing of [[Stonehenge]] by Gyles, once belonging to Thoresby and now in the collection of the Tate Gallery.<ref name=tate/>
Gyles was a friend and correspondent of [[Ralph Thoresby]], the antiquary, whose diary and correspondence contain frequent allusions to him.


His declining years were marred by ill-health, discontent, and domestic dissensions. In October 1709 he died at his house in York, and was buried in the church of [[St. Martin-cum-Gregory]]. Gyles was not particularly successful in colour or design, and little of his work can now be appreciated, owing to the perishable enamels which he employed.
Gyles' later years were marred by ill-health, discontent, and domestic tensions. He died at his house in York in October 1709, and was buried in the church of [[St Martin-cum-Gregory's Church, Micklegate, York|St. Martin-cum-Gregory]].<ref name=dnb/>


[[Francis Place (artist)|Francis Place]], Gyles's friend and fellow-citizen, engraved his portrait in mezzotint (copied by W. Richardson, and again for Walpole's 'Anecdotes of Painting'), and there is an interesting crayon drawing of him by his own hand in the print room at the [[British Museum]].
Francis Place engraved his portrait in mezzotint (copied by W. Richardson, and again for [[Horace Walpole|Walpole]]'s ''Anecdotes of Painting'');<ref name=dnb>{{cite DNB|wstitle=Gyles, Henry |last=Cust|first=Lionel Henry|volume=23|no-icon=1}}</ref> a crayon drawing of Gyles in the collection of the [[British Museum]] has traditionally been described as a self-portrait, but may be by one of his fellow York Virtuosi.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=753215&partId=1|publisher=British Museum|title=Drawing|accessdate=24 February 2014}}</ref>


He also has some works at [[York Art Gallery]].
He also has some works at [[York Art Gallery]].
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{DNB|wstitle=Gyles, Henry}}


==Sources==
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
{{DNB|wstitle=Gyles, Henry |last=Cust|first=Lionel Henry|volume=23}}
| NAME = Gyles, Henry

| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
{{Authority control}}
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British artist

| DATE OF BIRTH = 1640
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 1709
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gyles, Henry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gyles, Henry}}
[[Category:1640 births]]
[[Category:1640s births]]
[[Category:1709 deaths]]
[[Category:1709 deaths]]
[[Category:People from York]]
[[Category:Artists from York]]
[[Category:English stained glass artists and manufacturers]]
[[Category:English stained glass artists and manufacturers]]
[[Category:17th-century English painters]]
[[Category:17th-century English painters]]
[[Category:English male painters]]
[[Category:18th-century English painters]]
[[Category:18th-century English painters]]
[[Category:18th-century English male artists]]

Latest revision as of 22:32, 20 September 2024

Henry Gyles or Giles (1640?-1709), was an English glass painter based in York.

Life

[edit]

He was the fifth child of E. (perhaps Edmund) Gyles,[1] a glazier from York,[2] and lived in Micklegate in the city. His entry in the first edition of the Dictionary of National Biography credits him with "the revival of the art of pictorial glass painting, which had become quite extinct in England." His earliest dated window (1682) is the large west window of York Guildhall. His best-known work is the east window in the chapel of University College, Oxford, presented by Dr. Radcliffe in 1687. Gyles also presented some stained glass for the hall of University College, and did work for Wadham College, Oxford, and for Trinity College and St. Catharine's Hall at Cambridge. In 1700 he painted a large window for Lord Fairfax at Denton, Yorkshire. There were some figures painted by Gyles in the grammar school at Leeds, but these were disposed of in 1784 to a local antiquary.[1] According to the Dictionary of National Biography, "Gyles was not particularly successful in colour or design, and little of his work can now be appreciated, owing to the perishable enamels which he employed."[1]

Gyles was a friend of the antiquary Ralph Thoresby, who frequently mentions him in his diary and correspondence,[1] at one point describing him as "the famousest painter of glass perhaps in the world". Both men were members of the "York Virtuosi", a group of artists and intellectuals who met at Gyles' house. Other members included fellow artists Francis Place, William Lodge and John Lambert, the doctor and naturalist Martin Lister, and the antiquarians Thomas Kirke and Miles Gale.[2] Place often sought commissions for Gyles through his contacts in London, and Place's publisher, Pierce Tempest, provided him with Flemish, Dutch and German prints which he used as sources for his designs.[2] The group's antiquarian interests are reflected in a drawing of Stonehenge by Gyles, once belonging to Thoresby and now in the collection of the Tate Gallery.[2]

Gyles' later years were marred by ill-health, discontent, and domestic tensions. He died at his house in York in October 1709, and was buried in the church of St. Martin-cum-Gregory.[1]

Francis Place engraved his portrait in mezzotint (copied by W. Richardson, and again for Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting);[1] a crayon drawing of Gyles in the collection of the British Museum has traditionally been described as a self-portrait, but may be by one of his fellow York Virtuosi.[3]

He also has some works at York Art Gallery.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f Cust, Lionel Henry (1890). "Gyles, Henry". In Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney (eds.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 23. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. ^ a b c d "Henry Gyles Stonehenge". Tate. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Drawing". British Museum. Retrieved 24 February 2014.

Sources

[edit]

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainCust, Lionel Henry (1890). "Gyles, Henry". In Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney (eds.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 23. London: Smith, Elder & Co.