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Carlo Pellegrini
Carlo Pellegrini

Carlo Pellegrini

Italian, 1839-1889
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Carlo Pellegrini, who did much of his work under the pseudonym of Ape, was an artist who served from 1869 to 1889 as a caricaturist for Vanity Fair magazine, a leading journal of London society. He was born in Capua, then in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. His father came from an ancient land-owning family, while his mother was allegedly descended from the Medici. His work for the magazine made his reputation and he became its most influential artist.

Pellegrini was educated at the Collegio dei Barnabiti, and then at Sant'Antonio in Maddaloni, near Naples. As a young man he caricatured Neapolitan society, modelling his portraits on those of Melchiorre Delfico and Daumier and other French and British artists of the period. Pellegrini claimed to have fought with Garibaldi; however, those who knew him well dismissed this as fantasy.

Deciding to leave Italy in 1864 after a series of personal crises, including the death of his sister, he travelled to England via Switzerland and France. He arrived in London in November 1864; he later claimed to have arrived destitute, and to have slept on the streets and in doorways. However, this claim may have been another fantasy designed to make him seem to be a Bohemian artist. In London he became a friend of the Prince of Wales.

It is not recorded how Pellegrini met Thomas Bowles, the owner of Vanity Fair magazine, but he quickly found himself employed by that publication and became its first caricaturist, originally signing his work as 'Singe' (French for "Monkey") and later, and more famously, as 'Ape' (a translation of "Singe" into English). Pellegrini's work for the magazine made his reputation and he became its most influential artist; it printed his caricatures for over twenty years, from January 1869 to April 1889. His 1869 caricature of Benjamin Disraeli was the first colour lithograph to appear in the magazine, and proved immensely popular. It was the first of a highly successful series of more than two thousand caricatures published by Vanity Fair. Although the later caricatures by Sir Leslie Ward are perhaps now more well known, those by 'Ape' are regarded by many collectors as being artistically and technically superior.

Apart from drawing his caricatures for the magazine, Pellegrini also attempted to set himself up as a portrait painter, but this venture met with limited success. Pellegrini met Degas in London in the 1870s, and in about 1876–77 painted his portrait, inscribed 'à vous/Pellegrini' (to you/Pellegrini). In return, Degas painted Pellegrini's portrait, similarly inscribed.

Pellegrini was a member of the Beefsteak Club in London and there met Whistler, who became a great influence on his work; indeed, he even attempted to paint portraits in the style of Whistler. Pellegrini was also a member of The Arts Club from 1874 until 1888.

Pellegrini was extremely careful about his appearance, and would wear immaculate white spats with highly polished boots. He grew long Mandarin-like fingernails, would never walk when he could ride, and had a limitless fund of amusing stories and eccentricities. He spoke broken-English, flaunted his homosexuality (at a time when it was dangerous to do so), and would often bring macaroni dishes to elegant dinner parties. He would refuse invitations to country houses out of fear of strange beds, and had a habit of keeping a cigar in his mouth as he slept.

He died of lung disease aged 49 at his home, 53 Mortimer Street, near Cavendish Square in London. He is buried in St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green, London.

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Politicians – ‘The painstaking Irishman.’ The Rt. Hon. William Monsell. 11 February 1871

Politicians – ‘The painstaking Irishman.’ The Rt. Hon. William Monsell. 11 February 1871 (1871)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘the Plan of Campaign’. Mr. John Dillon. May 7, 1887

Politicians – ‘the Plan of Campaign’. Mr. John Dillon. May 7, 1887 (1887)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘The richest man in England’. The Marquis of Westminster. 16 July 1870

Politicians – ‘The richest man in England’. The Marquis of Westminster. 16 July 1870 (1870)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘The safe man’. The Rt. Hon. George Schlater- Booth. 8 August 1874

Politicians – ‘The safe man’. The Rt. Hon. George Schlater- Booth. 8 August 1874 (1874)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘The Sanitary’. Sir William Augustus Fraser. January 9, 1875

Politicians – ‘The Sanitary’. Sir William Augustus Fraser. January 9, 1875 (1875)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘the Sugar of Toryism’. The Earl of Harrowby. November 28, 1885

Politicians – ‘the Sugar of Toryism’. The Earl of Harrowby. November 28, 1885 (1885)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘The Whole life of that great party to which I thought I had the honour to belong….’. Lord Carnarvon. Sept 11, 1869

Politicians – ‘The Whole life of that great party to which I thought I had the honour to belong….’. Lord Carnarvon. Sept 11, 1869 (1869)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘To say that he is the best foreign minister in the country is not much as foreign ministers go…..’ The Earl of Clarendon. April 24, 1869

Politicians – ‘To say that he is the best foreign minister in the country is not much as foreign ministers go…..’ The Earl of Clarendon. April 24, 1869 (1869)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘Vive La Polgne’. M. Charles Floquet. June 16, 1888

Politicians – ‘Vive La Polgne’. M. Charles Floquet. June 16, 1888 (1888)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘Westminster’. Sir Charles Russell. 12 February 1878

Politicians – ‘Westminster’. Sir Charles Russell. 12 February 1878 (1878)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘When Birth cannot lead Brains must’. Lord Cairns. July 31, 1869

Politicians – ‘When Birth cannot lead Brains must’. Lord Cairns. July 31, 1869 (1869)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘Will the sentimental orator be lost in the practical Minister, or will both the extinguished’ The Rt. Hon. John Bright. February 13, 1869

Politicians – ‘Will the sentimental orator be lost in the practical Minister, or will both the extinguished’ The Rt. Hon. John Bright. February 13, 1869 (1869)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘York’. Sir Frederick George Milner. 27 June 1885

Politicians – ‘York’. Sir Frederick George Milner. 27 June 1885 (1885)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians – ‘Yorkshire’. Mr. Frederick Acclom Milbank. 17 July 1875

Politicians – ‘Yorkshire’. Mr. Frederick Acclom Milbank. 17 July 1875 (1875)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians; ‘An Amateur Whip’, Sir Charles Forster, March 28, 1874

Politicians; ‘An Amateur Whip’, Sir Charles Forster, March 28, 1874 (1874)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians; ‘Ancient Lineage’, The Marquis of Bath, June 13, 1874

Politicians; ‘Ancient Lineage’, The Marquis of Bath, June 13, 1874 (1874)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians; ‘Bombay’, The Right Hon. Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, May 2, 1874

Politicians; ‘Bombay’, The Right Hon. Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, May 2, 1874 (1874)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Politicians; ‘The Past’, The Right Hon. William Patrick Adam, June 27, 1874

Politicians; ‘The Past’, The Right Hon. William Patrick Adam, June 27, 1874 (1874)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Prime Ministers – ‘He is too honest a Tory for his party and his time.’ The Marquis of Salisbury. 10 July 1869

Prime Ministers – ‘He is too honest a Tory for his party and his time.’ The Marquis of Salisbury. 10 July 1869 (1869)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Prime Ministers – ‘It is his mission to stem the tide of democracy.’ The Earl of Derby. 29 May 1869

Prime Ministers – ‘It is his mission to stem the tide of democracy.’ The Earl of Derby. 29 May 1869 (1869)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Prime Minsters – ‘The greatest liberal stateman of modern times’. Earl Russell. 5 June 1869

Prime Minsters – ‘The greatest liberal stateman of modern times’. Earl Russell. 5 June 1869 (1869)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Promotion by Merit – Col. the Hon. Frederick Arthur Wellesley

Promotion by Merit – Col. the Hon. Frederick Arthur Wellesley

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Railway Officials; ‘The Railway Interest’, Sir Edward William Watkin, November 6, 1875

Railway Officials; ‘The Railway Interest’, Sir Edward William Watkin, November 6, 1875 (1875)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Royalty; ‘God Bless the Duke of Argyll’, The Duke of Argyll, April 17, 1869

Royalty; ‘God Bless the Duke of Argyll’, The Duke of Argyll, April 17, 1869 (1869)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Royalty; ‘President No. 3’, M. Jean Baptiste Leon Say, December 4, 1880

Royalty; ‘President No. 3’, M. Jean Baptiste Leon Say, December 4, 1880 (1880)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Royalty; ‘Simple and Unassuming Himself, Yet Magnificent and Generous towards his Fellow Men, He is the very Prince of Dukes’, The Duke of Sutherland, July 9, 1870

Royalty; ‘Simple and Unassuming Himself, Yet Magnificent and Generous towards his Fellow Men, He is the very Prince of Dukes’, The Duke of Sutherland, July 9, 1870 (1870)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Royalty; ‘The Head of the Russells’, The Duke of Bedford, July 11, 1874

Royalty; ‘The Head of the Russells’, The Duke of Bedford, July 11, 1874 (1874)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Shipping Officials; ‘Hull’, Mr. Charles Henry Wilson, February 21, 1885

Shipping Officials; ‘Hull’, Mr. Charles Henry Wilson, February 21, 1885 (1885)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Shipping Officials; ‘Naval Construction’, Mr. Edward James Reed, March 20, 1875

Shipping Officials; ‘Naval Construction’, Mr. Edward James Reed, March 20, 1875 (1875)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
Shipping Officials; ‘P & O’, Mr. Thomas Sutherland, October 22, 1887

Shipping Officials; ‘P & O’, Mr. Thomas Sutherland, October 22, 1887 (1887)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Illustration
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