GROSSI, A. - La Piovra Russa. Carta Serio-Comica Pel 1878.

Very rare political caricature map by Grossi of the nations of Europe, published in Bologna in the supplement of the newspaper "Le Perroquet / Al papagallo, N° 15, Anno VI.
Known as the Octopus Map from the brooding presence of the Russian Empire depicted as a massive octopus, whose tentacles stretch out towards Europe. In this map, the Octopus has Turkey, Persia and Poland but has been wounded by Crimea and is being fought off by Germany.
This map, by Grossi, followed the style created by Frederick W. Rose, showing Russia as an octopus.
The map was published in the year of the third Paris World's Fair (1878) and "Marianne" has his face turned-away from the war-theatre, making it slightly different than Rose' version. It looks like France was too occupied with the expo in that year.

Very rare. Not in Laurent Baridon, Un atlas imaginaire. Cartes allégoriques et satiriques.