Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by Carlo "Ape" Pellegrini. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This print presents a portrait of Prince Alfred, shown in the role of the First Violinist performing at the Albert Hall.
About this work
Overview
This print presents a portrait of Prince Alfred, shown in the role of the First Violinist performing at the Albert Hall. The image originates from an illustration that appeared in the periodical Vanity Fair, and it is reproduced here as part of the H Beard Print Collection.
Subject & Meaning
The work foregrounds Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria, cast in a musical capacity rather than his usual royal duties. By portraying him as a leading violinist, the image underscores the Victorian fascination with aristocratic participation in the arts and suggests a genteel, cultured image of the monarchy.
Technique & Style
Executed as a print, the piece employs the line work and shading typical of late‑19th‑century magazine illustration. The composition balances detailed rendering of the violinist’s attire and instrument with a simplified background, allowing the figure to dominate the visual field while maintaining the crisp, reproducible quality required for mass‑circulation publications.
History & Provenance
The original illustration was published in Vanity Fair, a weekly satirical and cultural magazine active from 1868 to 1914. The print later entered the H Beard collection, where it has been preserved as an example of contemporary visual commentary on royal life during the Victorian era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carlo Pellegrini made small prints of faces and figures, mostly for a weekly magazine called Vanity Fair between 1870 and 1889.
