Il Colosso di Rodi. Papagallo. No. 41. Anno V.

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

Date d'édition : 1877

A propos de cet article

Good. Edge wear. Some foxing and soiling. Size 14 x 23 Inches. 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.

N° de réf. du vendeur ColossodiRodi-grossi-1877

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Il Colosso di Rodi. Papagallo. No. 41. Anno V.
• Date de parution: 1877
• Reliure: Couverture souple
• Signé: Signé par l'auteur
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • TURKEY-OTTOMAN-EMPIRE