The beginning of the 'Special Relationship'

GILL, Leslie MacDonald.

The ''Time and Tide'' Map of the Atlantic Charter.
London: George Philip & Son, 1944. Colour lithographic map. Sheet 890 x 1135mm.

Laid on conservation canvas.

A large and decorative map of the world, published by 'Time and Tide' magazine to commemorate the signing of the 'Atlantic Charter' by Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The countries are marked with their commodities, shown in a large key. As well as quoting from the charter, there are other quotes about peace from Emmerson, Aristotle, Cicero and the Bible. The last is illustrated with a man using a sledgehammer on a tank, turning it into ploughshares.
This policy statement, issued on 14th August 1941(four months before the U.S. entered the Second World War) set out the Allies' vision for cooperation in the post-war world. Not only did it cement the 'Special Relationship' of the U.S. and Britain, but it also led to the 'Declaration by United Nations' (1st January, 1942) which formed the basis of today's United Nations.
Tom Harper of the British Library has described this as 'one of the key maps of the 20th century'.
Leslie MacDonald Gill (1884-1947, known as Max), younger brother of Eric Gill, specialised in graphic design in the Arts and Crafts style. His most important commission was from the Imperial War Graves Commission, designing the script used on Commission headstones and war memorials, including the 'Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme'. His 'Wonderground Map of London', originally drawn as an advertising poster for London Electric Underground Railway Company in 1914, was such a success it is credited with saving the 'UndergrounD' advertising campaign.


Stock ID : 23430