Currency Exchange

"Russia" Count Schouvaloff caricature for Vanity Fair Statesmen No. CXCIV c1875.

by Carlo Pellegrini (Ape)

Original lithograph from a watercolour caricature of Count Schouvaloff for Vanity Fair Statesmen. No. CXCIV (194) on February 13 1875.
A mission of the Russian Count as Ambassador at the English Court, was to bring about a marriage between a Russian Grand-Duchess and an English Prince. Accompanying text states that he was "...as a trusted and successful Russian envoy must be, all things to all men. Painfully polite, extremely handsome, and a good talker, he has easily achieved popularity in Society; and when he has fully learnt that it is better to shoot woodcodks than foxes, he will be thoroughly adapted as a desirable furniture for any country house. ...His family, originally of Swiss origin has long been a noble one, and he himself is so able and astute a diplomat as to deserve the most cautious and suspicious treatment..."

Established by Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922), Vanity Fair was a weekly magazine of social comment, published in London from 1868 to 1914. With eight to ten pages each issue, Vanity Fair magazine's popularity was guaranteed by the inclusion, each week from the following year, of an amusing caricature, lithographed from a watercolour, parodying any newsworthy personage. Over the years of publication it became a mark of honour to be the 'victim' of one of the magazine's caricaturists. Bowles accompanied each with a witty text, full of personal insights and innuendoes, written under his nickname of 'Jehu Junior' (after the biblical prophet who effected the downfall of his enemies). Bowles considered the images to be “grim faces made more grim, grotesque figures made more grotesque, and dull people made duller by the genius of our talented collaborator ‘Ape’" (Carlo Pellegrini, 1839-1889) who had arrived from Naples in 1864. (Pellegrini had been popular among Neapolitan society, and had repaid the favour with good-natured caricatures.) The other major caricaturist was ‘Spy’ (Leslie Ward, 1851-1922). It was the first time lithography had been used for caricatures. They were printed by the eminent lithographer, Vincent Brooks (1814-1885), who produced over 2,300 caricatures for Vanity Fair.

Page size 355 x 230 (14 x 9 inches). In good condition except for a very small amount of foxing, and Indian ink "60" at top right and "Count Schouvaloff" written at lower right.

Stock Number: apVF194Price: $80.00

Quantity