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Carlo Pellegrini - One of the Lambs of the Political Fold – Mr. Apponyi. 14 Jan. 1871

One of the Lambs of the Political Fold – Mr. Apponyi. 14 Jan. 1871 (1871)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
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License: All public domain files can be freely used for personal and commercial projects.
Why is this image in the public domain?
The Artist died in 1889 so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries where the copyright term is the Artist's life plus 70 years or fewer.
Carlo Pellegrini

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.

In Collection: Vanity Fair caricatures (View all 1077)

Clergy. ‘From the Army to the Church.’ Dr. David Maclagen. Archbishop of York. 5 September 1891

Clergy. ‘From the Army to the Church.’ Dr. David Maclagen. Archbishop of York. 5 September 1891 (1891)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – ‘Sheep’. The Earl of Seafield. 29 September 1883

Politicians – ‘Sheep’. The Earl of Seafield. 29 September 1883 (1883)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Turf Devotees; ‘Covey’, The Earl of Conventry, August 13, 1881

Turf Devotees; ‘Covey’, The Earl of Conventry, August 13, 1881 (1881)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Clergy. ‘A Modern Savonarolo’. Father Bernard Vaughan. 30 January 1907

Clergy. ‘A Modern Savonarolo’. Father Bernard Vaughan. 30 January 1907 (1907)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Royalty; ‘Persia’, Muzaffer-ed-din, The Shah of Persia, January 29, 1903

Royalty; ‘Persia’, Muzaffer-ed-din, The Shah of Persia, January 29, 1903 (1903)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – ‘Manchester’. Mr. John Skagg. 2 August 1884

Politicians – ‘Manchester’. Mr. John Skagg. 2 August 1884 (1884)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Politicians; ‘Ninety-one’, The Earl of Mountcashell, September 8, 1883

Politicians; ‘Ninety-one’, The Earl of Mountcashell, September 8, 1883 (1883)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – ‘Aesthetics’. The Hon Percy Scawen Wyndham. 30 October 1880

Politicians – ‘Aesthetics’. The Hon Percy Scawen Wyndham. 30 October 1880 (1880)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Newspapermen; ‘New York Tribune’, Mr. Whitelaw Reid, September 25, 1902

Newspapermen; ‘New York Tribune’, Mr. Whitelaw Reid, September 25, 1902 (1902)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Legal; ‘A Popular Magistrate’, Ernest Baggallay, July 13, 1905

Legal; ‘A Popular Magistrate’, Ernest Baggallay, July 13, 1905 (1905)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – Vanity Fair. ‘Promotion by marriage’. The Rt. Hon. Sir Augustus Berkley Paget. 26 June 1880

Politicians – Vanity Fair. ‘Promotion by marriage’. The Rt. Hon. Sir Augustus Berkley Paget. 26 June 1880 (1880)

Théobald Chartran (French, 1849-1907)
Turf Devotees; ‘Horsey’, Lord Cadross, March 8, 1884

Turf Devotees; ‘Horsey’, Lord Cadross, March 8, 1884 (1884)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Explorers and Inventors. ‘He walked across Africa’. Lieutenant Cameron. 15 July 1876

Explorers and Inventors. ‘He walked across Africa’. Lieutenant Cameron. 15 July 1876 (1876)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Yachting Devotees; ‘Shamrock’, Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, September 19, 1901

Yachting Devotees; ‘Shamrock’, Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, September 19, 1901 (1901)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Jockeys of the Victorian and Edwardian Turf executed by Spy and others for the ‘Vanity Fair’ Series

Jockeys of the Victorian and Edwardian Turf executed by Spy and others for the ‘Vanity Fair’ Series

Vincent Robert Alfred Brooks (English, 1815–1885)
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