diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
+## [v1.5.1](https://github.com/diagrams/diagrams-svg/tree/v1.5.1) (2026-10-14)
+
+- Allow embedding SVG elements as primitives, via new
+  `elementToDiagram` function ([#126](https://github.com/diagrams/diagrams-svg/pull/126); thanks to George Thomas)
+
+- Allow `base-4.22` (GHC 9.14), `containers-0.8`, `diagrams-lib-1.6`
+- Remove some unneeded dependencies (`monoid-extras`, `colour`, `semigroups`)
+
+## [v1.5-r2](https://github.com/diagrams/diagrams-svg/tree/v1.5-r2) (2025-06-13)
+
+- Allow `optparse-applicative-0.19`
+
+## [v1.5-r1](https://github.com/diagrams/diagrams-svg/tree/v1.5-r1) (2025-06-02)
+
+- Allow `monoid-extras-0.7`
+
 ## [v1.5](https://github.com/diagrams/diagrams-svg/tree/v1.5) (2025-03-25)
 
 - Allow `base-4.21` and test on GHC 9.12
diff --git a/diagrams-svg.cabal b/diagrams-svg.cabal
--- a/diagrams-svg.cabal
+++ b/diagrams-svg.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:                diagrams-svg
-Version:             1.5
+Version:             1.5.1
 Synopsis:            SVG backend for diagrams drawing EDSL.
 Homepage:            https://diagrams.github.io/
 License:             BSD3
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 Category:            Graphics
 Build-type:          Simple
 Cabal-version:       >=1.10
-Tested-with:         GHC ==8.4.4 || ==8.6.5 || ==8.8.4 || ==8.10.7 || ==9.0.2 || ==9.2.8 || ==9.4.8 || ==9.6.5 || ==9.8.2 || ==9.10.1 || ==9.12.1
+Tested-with:         GHC ==8.4.4 || ==8.6.5 || ==8.8.4 || ==8.10.7 || ==9.0.2 || ==9.2.8 || ==9.4.8 || ==9.6.7 || ==9.8.4 || ==9.10.3 || ==9.12.4 || ==9.14.1
 Description:         This package provides a modular backend for rendering
                      diagrams created with the diagrams EDSL to SVG
                      files.  It uses @svg-builder@ to be a native
@@ -40,25 +40,21 @@
                        Diagrams.Backend.SVG.CmdLine
   Other-modules:       Graphics.Rendering.SVG
   Hs-source-dirs:      src
-  Build-depends:       base                 >= 4.7   && < 4.22
+  Build-depends:       base                 >= 4.7   && < 4.23
                      , filepath             >= 1.4   && < 1.6
                      , mtl                  >= 1     && < 2.4
                      , bytestring           >= 0.9   && < 1.0
                      , base64-bytestring    >= 1     && < 1.3
-                     , colour               >= 2.3   && < 2.4
                      , diagrams-core        >= 1.4   && < 1.6
-                     , diagrams-lib         >= 1.4.5 && < 1.6
-                     , monoid-extras        >= 0.3   && < 0.7
+                     , diagrams-lib         >= 1.4.5 && < 1.7
                      , svg-builder          >= 0.1   && < 0.2
                      , text                 >= 0.11  && < 2.2
                      , JuicyPixels          >= 3.1.5 && < 3.4
                      , split                >= 0.1.2 && < 0.3
-                     , containers           >= 0.3   && < 0.8
+                     , containers           >= 0.3   && < 0.9
                      , lens                 >= 4.0   && < 5.4
                      , hashable             >= 1.1   && < 1.6
-                     , optparse-applicative >= 0.13  && < 0.19
-                     , semigroups           >= 0.13  && < 0.21
-
+                     , optparse-applicative >= 0.13  && < 0.20
   Ghc-options:         -Wall
 
   Default-language:  Haskell2010
diff --git a/src/Diagrams/Backend/SVG.hs b/src/Diagrams/Backend/SVG.hs
--- a/src/Diagrams/Backend/SVG.hs
+++ b/src/Diagrams/Backend/SVG.hs
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@
   , renderPretty
   , renderPretty'
   , loadImageSVG
+
+  , elementToDiagram
   ) where
 
 -- from JuicyPixels
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@
 
 -- from diagrams-core
 import           Diagrams.Core.Compile
+import           Diagrams.Core.Transform  (matrixHomRep)
 import           Diagrams.Core.Types      (Annotation (..), keyVal)
 
 -- from diagrams-lib
@@ -193,6 +196,19 @@
 
 -- | Monad to keep track of environment and state when rendering an SVG.
 type SvgRenderM n = ReaderT (Environment n) (State SvgRenderState) Element
+
+type instance V Element = V2
+type instance N Element = Double
+instance Transformable Element where
+  transform t = flip with [Transform_ <<- transformMatrix]
+   where
+    [[a,b],[c,d],[e,f]] = matrixHomRep t
+    transformMatrix     = matrix a b c d e f
+instance Renderable Element B where
+    render SVG = R . pure
+
+elementToDiagram :: Element -> Diagram B
+elementToDiagram e = mkQD (Prim e) mempty mempty mempty mempty
 
 runRenderM :: SVGFloat n => T.Text -> SvgRenderM n -> Element
 runRenderM o s = flip evalState initialSvgRenderState