1877 Grossi Allegorical Map of the Dardanelles w/ England as Colossus

An 1877 Italian allegorical image lampooning the British intervention in the Russo-Turkish War (1877 - 1878). It represents regional fear the era’s great hegemonic powers, Britain and Russia, would use the Mediterranean and a theater to play out global imperialist conflicts.

A Closer Look

The British Empire is presented a mighty if insane colossus (John Bull) standing astride the Dardanelles facing the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus, and the Black Sea. In one hand the sunglassed figure of John Bull holds a bag of Lire, in the other, a lit powder keg, representing wealth and violence. Despite his comic appearance, the figure is festooned with weapons, among them wealth (bag of gold) and grenades, and he bears a fleet in one pocket and a cannon in the other. At his feet, a teacher dressed in ancient Greek robes reveals the story of the Dardanelles to children of different peoples, including Greeks, Slavs, Americans, Chinese, Abyssinians, and various Europeans. A warning to the world against the duplicity of Russia, but also against Britain itself which, while here a savior, nonetheless expresses an 'unhinged' aspect.

The Legend

Translated the legend reads:

The colossus of Rhodes. History, do you see, my children? ... Your ancestors also told you that we could not have the freedom of the Dardanelles ... It is the same today and maybe it will last a long time ... Now it's the colossus, in the future it will be its demolisher who will make obstacles.

This cartoon references an episode of the Russo-Turkish War (1877 - 1878). By the time of this piece's publication, the Ottomans had been soundly defeated by the Russians, but under pressure from Great Britain, Russia reluctantly accepted a truce. Despite the truce, Russian forces continued to move towards the Ottoman capital at Constantinople. The British fleet maneuvered to protect Istanbul and the Dardanelles and deter the Russians.

Context of the Cartoon

The caricature is in reference to British efforts to control the outcome of the Russo-Turkish War and prevent Russian hegemony in the Balkans or threats to British interests in the eastern Mediterranean. The Ottoman Empire gradually lost territory throughout the 19th century, including at the hands of nationalist independence movements in the Balkans, which were supported by Tsarist Russia. The British and French were also happy to take advantage of Ottoman weakness, but feared a complete collapse of the empire, lest Russia fill in the vacuum and become dominant throughout Eastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean.

Therefore, both countries strongly supported the Ottomans in the Crimean War (1853 - 1856) and the British opposed Russian intervention in nationalist uprisings against the Ottomans in 1875 - 1876, which precipitated the Russo-Turkish conflict. More broadly, both countries were interested in maintaining the framework of the Concert of Europe established after the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815), and the British in particular were engaged in a global tussle for influence with Russia, centering on the Middle East and Central Asia.

As both the war and public opinion in Europe (on account of well-publicized atrocities committed by Ottoman troops and paramilitaries) turned against the Ottomans, the British sought to negotiate an end to the conflict, resulting in the Treaty of San Stefano on March 3, 1878. Yet, Russian troops continued to march towards Istanbul, and Britain scrambled to organize other European powers to oppose further Russian advances. In this, they were aided by the newly unified Germany under the leadership of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck (1815 - 1898), who similarly opposed Russian conquest of the remaining Ottoman lands.

In the end, Bismarck organized the Congress of Berlin in June-July 1878, stole Britain's thunder as peacemaker, and the Treaty of Berlin was signed at the conclusion of the conference, which nullified large parts of the Treaty of San Stefano. The latter treaty aimed to divvy up influence in the Balkans, mainly by limiting Russian ambitions, strengthening Austria-Hungary, and maintaining the Ottoman Empire's existence, with other powers, especially Germany and Britain, acting as external referees. The arrangement did prevent another war in the region for several decades, but also laid the groundwork for the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913 while also moving Germany and Austria-Hungary towards an alliance (signed the following year) against Russian influence in the Balkans, two important factors in the start of World War I (1914 - 1918).

Political Cartoons

Il Papagallo claimed to be the first political humor journal with color illustrations in Italy. It was founded in January 1873 by Augusto Grossi (1835-1919), specializing in color-printed caricatures like this one. At its peak, circulation reached 50,000, and in 1877 a Parisian version, Le Perroquet, and London edition, The Parrot, were launched. Il Papagallo closed in 1915, when Grossi was 70 years old.

Il Papagallo bears resemblance to the British Punch, the French Le Charivari, and the cartoons of Thomas Nast in the United States. Artistic and humorous qualities aside, these publications were popular due to their lighthearted approach to serious affairs and easy digestibility for a population that was not entirely literate, yet more engaged in politics due to the widening of the franchise. In the case of Italy, the country had recently completed the long project of national unification when this cartoon was drawn, and voting was restricted to wealthy men, though would soon be expanded to middle-class men.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography, sometimes called oleography, is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process involved using multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Oftentimes, the process would start with a black basecoat upon which subsequent colors were layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired product. Chromolithograph color could also be effectively blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when it emerged as the dominate method of color printing. The vivid color chromolithography produced made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda imagery.

Publication History and Census

Satirical cartoon published in the supplement to the political newspaper Il Papagallo, N. 41, in the 5th year of publication, published in Bologna, Italy. The title and the caption are in Italian. This cartoon is rare with no other known examples.