Ceylon her Tea & other Industries

Gill's iconic pictorial rendition of Ceylon or modern Sri Lanka, promoting its tea products, commissioned by the Ceylon Tea Centre.



Gill first issued this map in 1933 from a commission by the Ceylon Tea Propaganda Board to promote Ceylonese tea in Britain and around the world, especially in the United States. This powerful new body had extraordinary powers to grade, export, promote and control the finances of the Ceylonese tea industry. Bright, colourful advertising posters were one of the main weapons in their propaganda arsenal which they commissioned from a diverse group of writers, artists, film makers and designers.



Gill's map is one of the most famous examples of his cartographic work. The swirling seas surrounding the island are filled with flying fish, steamers, sailing ships from the Age of Discovery, and even a trio of giant sea turtles. Ribbons are used to label the port cities; this was very typical of the 'faux medieval' style Gill loved and employed with regularity. The interior of the island is also lavishly illustrated, this time with images of the local flora and fauna. The elephants, boars, leopards and crocodiles are particulary evocative. Circular vignettes illustrate locations of cultural interest and the whole island radiates a feeling of lush growth, particularly the southwestern quarter which is marked as being the centre of the tea plantations.



This edition of Gill's map was published posthumously in a slightly reduced and edited format by the Ceylon Tea Centre whose name is printed in the lower right corner. The date of publication, which on the earlier editions is printed below Gill's name in the lower right corner, has been removed by the Ceylon Tea Centre making it impossible to provide an exact date of publication, though they are generally believed to have been published c.1950.



Printed colour. [IC2668]