An Italian map satirising the British Empire as a serpent

An Italian satirical map showing the globe being turned by a devil of 'Progress' and an angel 'Civilization'. Wrapped around it is a snake with a lion's head, marked 'British Empire in India'. The head, resting on Ireland, has human figures in its mouth; the body crushes others in Gibraltar, Egypt, India, Australia, China, Canada, Cape Colony, Transvaal and Mauritius. Watching from the side lines are men wrapped in shrouds with garlands, including Victor Emmanuel II, politicians Adolphe Thiers & Giuseppe Mazzini and Italian poets Virgil, Dante and Tasso. 'Il Papagallo' was a satirical magazine founded in January 1873 by Augusto Grossi (1835-1919), which specialised in colour-printed caricatures like this one. At its peak circulation reached 50,000, and in 1878 a Parisian version, 'Le Perroquet', and London edition, 'The Parrot', were launched. 'Il Papagallo' closed in 1915, when Grossi was 70 years old. This example is apparently unrecorded. Other examples we have traced have the title in the box lower right, with Grossi's name next to it.