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Carlo Pellegrini - 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)
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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)

Politicians – ‘The Cool of the evening’. Lord Houghton. 3 September 1870

Politicians – ‘The Cool of the evening’. Lord Houghton. 3 September 1870 (1870)

Carlo Pellegrini (Italian, 1839-1889)
Military and Navy; ‘Rupert’, Hon. Rupert Guinness, November 9, 1905

Military and Navy; ‘Rupert’, Hon. Rupert Guinness, November 9, 1905 (1905)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Vanity Fair; Literary; ‘French Realism’, Emile Zola, January 24, 1880

Vanity Fair; Literary; ‘French Realism’, Emile Zola, January 24, 1880 (1880)

Théobald Chartran (French, 1849-1907)
Theatre; Mr. John Hare, March 1, 1890

Theatre; Mr. John Hare, March 1, 1890 (1890)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – ‘Cirencester’. Mr. Harry Lawson Webster Lawson. 15 November 1893

Politicians – ‘Cirencester’. Mr. Harry Lawson Webster Lawson. 15 November 1893 (1893)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Ambassadors to England; Japan, The Viscount Tadasu Hayashi, 24 April 1902

Ambassadors to England; Japan, The Viscount Tadasu Hayashi, 24 April 1902 (1902)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Criminal. ‘The Tun of Frauds’. Harry Benson. 29 September 1877

Criminal. ‘The Tun of Frauds’. Harry Benson. 29 September 1877 (1877)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Vanity Fair; Literary; ‘Waterloo’, General The Earl of Albemarle, July 4, 1883

Vanity Fair; Literary; ‘Waterloo’, General The Earl of Albemarle, July 4, 1883 (1883)

Théobald Chartran (French, 1849-1907)
Fox Hunters. ‘Billy’. Mr. Georg Charles Fitzwilliam. 1 March 1906

Fox Hunters. ‘Billy’. Mr. Georg Charles Fitzwilliam. 1 March 1906 (1906)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Politicians – ‘the brains of obstruction’. Mr. John O’Conner Power. 25 December 1886

Politicians – ‘the brains of obstruction’. Mr. John O’Conner Power. 25 December 1886 (1886)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Artists. ‘Artist and R.A.’ Mr William Quiller Orchardson. 24 March 1898

Artists. ‘Artist and R.A.’ Mr William Quiller Orchardson. 24 March 1898 (1898)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Cricket. ‘Tom’. Thomas Hayward. 11 July 1906

Cricket. ‘Tom’. Thomas Hayward. 11 July 1906 (1906)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Automobile Devotees. ‘Steam’. Mr. Frederick Abernethy Coleman. 6 November 1907

Automobile Devotees. ‘Steam’. Mr. Frederick Abernethy Coleman. 6 November 1907 (1907)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Turf Devotees; ‘Jem’, Captain James Octavius Machell, December 3, 1887

Turf Devotees; ‘Jem’, Captain James Octavius Machell, December 3, 1887 (1887)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
Royalty; ‘An Abysinnian General’, H.H. Ras Makunan, February 12, 1903

Royalty; ‘An Abysinnian General’, H.H. Ras Makunan, February 12, 1903 (1903)

Leslie Matthew Ward (English, 1851-1922)
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