Artvee
  • Browse
    • Abstract
    • Figurative
    • Landscape
    • Illustration
    • Posters
    • Religion
    • Mythology
    • Drawings
    • Still Life
    • Animals
    • Botanical
    • Asian Art
  • Books
  • Artists
  • Explore
    • Topics
    • Culture
    • Movements
  • Highlights
  • Collections
  • Galleries
  • Artvee Pro
Login
Artvee
Menu
Carlo Pellegrini - Politicians – ‘A promising Apprentice’. Mr. E.N. Knatchbull-Hugessen. 11 June 1870
Close
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)

Americans. ‘United States Embrassy’. Mr. J.H. Choate. 28 September 1899

Americans. ‘United States Embrassy’. Mr. J.H. Choate. 28 September 1899 (1899)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – ‘Burnley’. Mr. Jabez Spencer Balfour. March 19, 1892

Politicians – ‘Burnley’. Mr. Jabez Spencer Balfour. March 19, 1892 (1892)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – ‘West Hampshire’. William Bramston Beach. June 27, 1895

Politicians – ‘West Hampshire’. William Bramston Beach. June 27, 1895 (1895)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
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)
Freemasons; ‘The Lord Mayor’, Polydore de Keyser, November 25, 1887

Freemasons; ‘The Lord Mayor’, Polydore de Keyser, November 25, 1887 (1887)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Military and Navy; ‘Glick’, Captain Albert Gleichen, January 13, 1898

Military and Navy; ‘Glick’, Captain Albert Gleichen, January 13, 1898 (1898)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Artists. ‘Sensational art’. M. Paul Gustave Dore. 15 September 1877

Artists. ‘Sensational art’. M. Paul Gustave Dore. 15 September 1877 (1877)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Literary; ‘A Noble Writer’, Philip-Henry Stanhope, May 23, 1874

Literary; ‘A Noble Writer’, Philip-Henry Stanhope, May 23, 1874 (1874)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Theatre; ‘A Spelling Bee’, Mr. John Laurence Toole, July 29, 1876

Theatre; ‘A Spelling Bee’, Mr. John Laurence Toole, July 29, 1876 (1876)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – ‘Colonial Self-Government’. The Rt. Hon. Lord Norton. 27 September 1892

Politicians – ‘Colonial Self-Government’. The Rt. Hon. Lord Norton. 27 September 1892 (1892)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
The Commader in Chief in India [General Sir Frederick Paul Haines], Military and Navy, from Vanity Fair, March 25, 1876

The Commader in Chief in India [General Sir Frederick Paul Haines], Military and Navy, from Vanity Fair, March 25, 1876 (1876)

James Tissot (French, 1836-1902)
Politicians – ‘Westminster’. Sir Charles Russell. 12 February 1878

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

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Politicians; ‘Finsbury’, Mr. William Torrens McCullagh Torrens, December 8, 1883

Politicians; ‘Finsbury’, Mr. William Torrens McCullagh Torrens, December 8, 1883 (1883)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Vanity Fair; Literary; ‘G.B.S.’, Mr. George Bernard Shaw

Vanity Fair; Literary; ‘G.B.S.’, Mr. George Bernard Shaw (ca. 1911)

Alick P. F. Ritchie (Scottish, 1868-1938)
Vanity Fair; Military and Navy; ‘Spanish Ironclads’, Admiral Sir Hastings Reginald Yelverton, June 23, 1877

Vanity Fair; Military and Navy; ‘Spanish Ironclads’, Admiral Sir Hastings Reginald Yelverton, June 23, 1877 (1877)

James Tissot (French, 1836-1902)
View all 1077 Artworks

0 Artworks
Follow
Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Favourite
Collect

Standard, JPG, Size:

Download

Max Size, JPG, Size:

Download
License: All public domain files can be freely used for personal and commercial projects. .
Why is this image in the public domain?
  • Terms
  • Privacy
  • Contact us
Artvee.com 2024 All Rights Reserved
We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By browsing this website, you agree to our use of cookies.
More info Accept
  • Sign in
  • Browse
    • Abstract
    • Figurative
    • Landscape
    • Illustration
    • Posters
    • Religion
    • Mythology
    • Drawings
    • Still Life
    • Animals
    • Botanical
    • Asian Art
  • Artists
  • Books
  • Explore
    • Topics
    • Culture
    • Movements
  • Highlights
  • Collections
  • Galleries
  • Artvee Pro