English Cricket, original Vanity Fair caricature lithograph c1884.

by Carlo Pellegrini (Ape)

Cricket Caricature antique print. The Honourable Alfred Lyttelton played for Middlesex between 1877 and 1887. He played four Test matches for England between 1880 and 1884.

The text that accompanied this caricature described Alfred Lyttelton: “Mr Lyttelton is the eighth son of the late Lord Lyttelton. He was born seven-and-twenty years ago, and is an excellent young man of good manners and of good report. By profession he is a barrister, and, as such, is second “Devil” to the present Attorney-General who honours him with especial confidence. It is, however, as one of the lights of English Cricket that he is best known, and especially as a wicket-keeper. He is considered one of the best of the amateur players. He is very popular. He recently lost his overcoat.”

Original colour-printed lithograph by "Ape" Carlo Pellegrini (1839-1889), for a series on ‘Men of the Day’ for the weekly periodical Vanity Fair published in London on September 20th 1884. Once a week, between 1868 and 1914, Vanity Fair produced one chromolithograph caricature, satirizing a prominent or newsworthy personage. The text was composed by the editor of Vanity Fair under the pseudonym Jehu Junior, (after the biblical prophet who effected the downfall of his enemies), and thought that the caricatures made grim faces more grim, grotesque figures more grotesque, and dull people duller by the genius of ‘Ape’" (Carlo Pellegrini, 1839-1889). It was the first time lithography had been used for caricatures. They were printed by the eminent lithographer, Vincent Brooks (1814-1885).

Size of page 15.5 x 10.5 inches or 39 x 27cm ("Australian Cricket" which would make a wonderful pair.)