Founded in 1868 by Thomas Gibson Bowles ( 1842-1922) Vanity Fair ran until 1914 and was distinguished by its portraits giving a visual dimension to the magazine. Carlo Pellegrini who adopted the pen name 'Ape' (1839-89) was one of the leading artists who was distinguished by very gentle exaggeration rather than cruel satire.
Vanity Fair was also one of the first magazines to use chromo-lithography.
This is the first portrait to be published and featured Benjamin Disraeli, the Prime Minister
