"Alleno" — Sir Allen Young, Arctic Navigator and Naval Officer

Pellegrini's plate shows Sir Allen Young in left-profile, full-length, rendered with the affectionate inflation typical of 'Ape': a bulbous, ruddy face beneath a peaked naval cap, one hand planted on the hip in a posture of brisk self-satisfaction. The dark frockcoat carries three medals and distinction lace at the cuffs; a dress sabre trails at his side. Young had just returned from a private Arctic expedition aboard Pandora, attempting the Northwest Passage, which made him briefly famous. Pellegrini flatters the body language while mocking the vanity — the medals are prominent, the swagger unmistakable. The comedy is purely social, aimed at the gentleman-adventurer who funds his own glory.