The Arcade
So this is the crocodile
Evening in the crocodile room
Homo Universalis Crocodilus
Great Ivan Matveitch giving a lecture
The Crocodile is a short story by F. M. Dostoyevsky published in 1865.
The story relates the events that befall Ivan Matveich when he, his wife Elena Ivanovna, and the narrator visit the Arcade to see a crocodile that has been put on display by a German entrepreneur. Unfortunately, after teasing the corocodile Ivan Matveich is swallowed alived, but fortunately, this new situation dosn’t affect him as one would expect.
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I have made a series of 5 illustrations based on The Crocodile, realized in mixed technique on paper. The idea was to show not just the events of the story and its full absurdity, but to also glimpse the spirit of the 19th century St. Petersburg society.
I must note I am very happy these illustrations were selected for 2018 Illustrators Exhibition and will be exhibited at Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
