This map is part of a souvenir volume produced to celebrate the British Empire at the time of the 1924 "Pageant of Empire" in what is now Wembley Stadium. The book contains a number of color lithographs produced by well-known British artists of the day, in this case, MacDonald ("Max") Gill. The map honors "our 'well-beloved'" John Cabot, who explored parts of mainland North America in 1497 on the commission of Henry VII, and provides a showcase for the bold graphic flourishes typical of Gill's work.
For other examples of his work in the collection, Search > "Gill". For more about his life and work, see Walker 2020. For Gill's own thoughts on "Decorative Maps," see Gill 1944.
The collection includes a number of maps in the art deco style of the time. For others, Search > "deco".
Lucas, E.V. 1924. The Pageant of Empire Souvenir Volume. London: Fleetway Press Ltd. [Special "London and North Eastern Railway Edition," containing an extra plate, "The Border Bridge."]
