The British Empire in 1886 by Walter Crane

A decorative map of the world in late 19th century showing the British Empire in red, published as a supplement to a London magazine, "The Graphic". The elaborate borders are filled with allegorical figures celebrating the extent of the empire, with the slogans 'Freedom', 'Fraternity' and Federation' above the map. Over Russia is another map, showing the world in 1786, demonstrating the explosive growth of the empire in the following century. Although it was drawn by Walter Crane (1845-1915), a book illustrator at the height of his fame, this is easy to overlook, with his monogram of a crane and 'inv et del' hidden away in the bottom corner. It seems that, after commissioning Crane to draw the map to celebrate Queen Victoria's empire, the 'Graphic' chose to minimise his involvement because of his socialist activism, including membership of the 'Socialist League' and illustrations for radical publishers. Crane has left signs of his sympathies across the map: the figures holding the slogans above the map all wear the red Phrygian caps worn by liberated slaves in ancient Rome and French revolutionaries; and the figure of atlas holding up the world that Britannia straddles has a sash reading 'Human Labour'.