John Bull and his friends: a serio-comic map of Europe
This British cartoon map of Europe paints a belligerently nationalistic view of diplomatic relations in 1900. John Bull, Britain personified, is swatting away two cats -- Boer troops resisting British rule in South Africa -- while the rest of Europe condemns or conspires against him. What is significant about this map is the way that France is portrayed as less sinister than Germany, which is less sinister than Russia. While Marianne is shown looking glumly at broken toys labelled with the names of political and diplomatic incidents, Germany is represented by the Kaiser in uniform stockpiling battleships and exports, and Russia is an octopus with the Czar at its centre. One could argue that proximity is the defining factor: France is close to England and had perhaps been visited by the artist and his expected reader. Russia on the other hand is a very long way away, and thus understandably more sinister. Germany is between the two.
Frederick W. Rose
G.W. Bacon & Co., Ltd., London
1900
English
Historical Cartoon Map
Continental
Frederick W. Rose (original sketch)
Matthew B. Hewerdine
individual map
49 x 70cm
Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA dcu
G5701.S1 1900 .R6