Design for Trade Card [The Sun Life Assurance Society]

Walter Crane

1880–89 · Pen and brown ink over graphite · Drawings and Prints

Crane was a prolific designer of a range of printed materials including playbills, magazine covers, private view invitations and posters. He also received many commissions from commercial organizations for documents including, as here, a certificate for an insurance company, Sun Life Assurance Society, which was founded in 1810. The dynamic design features a charioteer charging forward led by four galloping horses, silhouetted against a blazing sunburst, in reference to the company's name. Blank areas were left throughout the design to be filled later; the intended lettering is faintly indicated by the artist in graphite.

Artist

Walter Crane

Date

1880–89

Medium

Pen and brown ink over graphite

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1962