Vanity Fair lithograph. Sir Roundell Palmer caricature. Cecioni 1872.

by Cecioni, Adriano

"voted against the Disestablishment of the Irish Church." Statesman, No. 108, Sir Roundell Palmer. "He refused the Woolsack, and..."

Chromolithograph from a caricature by Adriano Cecioni who was an artist for six months with Vanity Fair, a weekly magazine of social comment, established by Thomas Gibson Bowles (1841-1922). Of eight to ten pages, Vanity Fair was a weekly magazine of social comment, published in London from 1868 to 1914, with a caricature included each week. Over the years of publication it became a mark of honour to be the 'victim' of one of the magazine's caricaturists. Bowles who was also the editor and contributed most of the journalistic content under different pseudonyms, composed witty text to accompany each caricature, - written under his pseudonym of 'Jehu Junior' (after the biblical prophet who effected the downfall of his enemies).

Bowles considered the caricatures made grim faces more grim, grotesque figures more grotesque, and dull people duller by the genius of ‘Ape’" (Carlo Pellegrini, 1839-1889), the magazines' first artist who set the tone for the other artists. The first time lithography had been used for caricatures, they were printed by the eminent lithographer, Vincent Brooks (1814-1885).

The lithograph sizes varied slightly. This page measures 355 x 230mm. Image to border measures 305 x 190mm. In good condition except for the usual slight soiling around the page extremities.