Vanity Fair lithograph Proof Plate c1874.

by Carlo Pellegrini (Ape)

Carlo Pellegrini (Ape) Proof Plate Vanity Fair lithograph. The Right Honourable Sir Michael Hicks Beach caricature for "A scagliola apollo" Statesmen. No. 182, Vanity Fair c1874.

"He is an eighth baronet, well off, well spoken, well dressed, well looking, well educated, well intentioned, well combed, and well pleased with himself. Floated upward as a sample country gentleman, he has early achieved the success which crowns mediocrity, and may one day earn that which belongs to his superiority. A respectable intelligence, an intelligent respectability and that liberal use of highflown words which is held to be the mark of highflying aims, fit him peculiarly for secondry places, where genius is less worth than platitude. Promoted over a Duke to be Secretary for Ireland, he has made no great mistake, and he has not yet achieved a great reputation. His acts never inspire the Lord Lieutenant with jealousy nor the Irish with confidence. His endeavours to be firm are well meant; his cleverness will never do much harm nor much good. He answers questions as he is taught, and words them accurately. He wishes to do right in leading-strings, from which he will never be set free. He is a foe to intrigue as well as to originality. Ireland will never suffer from any vagaries of his, nor will any policy be associated with his name. Scrupulous in details as in dress, his picture as a drawing-room statesman at the family place will be the chief record of his glory..." 

Vanity Fair was a weekly magazine of social comment, published in London from 1868 to 1914. The weekly addition of an amusing lithographic caricature of a currently newsworthy person, guaranteed the magazine’s popularity. Thomas Gibson Bowles, who established the periodical, 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). The other major caricaturist was ‘Spy’ (Leslie Ward, 1851-1922). Vanity Fair caricatures parodied any noteworthy personage who had been mentioned in the news, and thereby was fair game for ridicule.

Page size 394 x 263 (15 1/2 x 10 3/8 inches). Plate size is 360 x 184mm (14 1/8 x 7 1/4 inches) This plate has a faint printers diagonal line from top left corner but is otherwise in fine condition.