WSPU suffragette Angel of Freedom emblem by Sylvia Pankhurst c1909

PANKHURST, Sylvia (1882-1960). WSPU "Angel of Freedom" emblem. [London, c.1909].
 
Original colour-printed paper roundel, approximately 155mm diameter, in the Women's Social and Political Union colours of purple, white and green. Designed by Sylvia Pankhurst for the WSPU, depicting the winged "Angel of Freedom" sounding a trumpet before prison bars, with broken chains, flowers, the initials "WSPU" and a banner inscribed "FREEDOM".
 
Good. The circular printed piece has been cut from a larger sheet or piece of ephemera and subsequently laid down onto later card. Some surface marking, creasing and small edge faults, including a short tear at the lower edge. The later backing card has a vertical fold and remnants of unrelated modern printed text visible on the reverse.
 
Sylvia Pankhurst created the "Angel of Freedom" design in 1908 while working as the principal artist and designer for the Women's Social and Political Union. It became one of the organisation's most recognisable emblems and was used in a variety of forms across WSPU printed ephemera, banners, badges and other material. A closely corresponding version is recorded by the Museum of London as having appeared on a leaflet publicising a WSPU demonstration at the Royal Albert Hall in 1909.
 
The precise original source of the present roundel has not been identified, but its size and form suggest that it was cut from a larger contemporary WSPU leaflet, flyer or similar printed item before being mounted for preservation.