Vingt mille lieues sous les mers 1871

Edouard Riou's 1871 illustration "Vingt Mille Lieues Sous les Mers" depicts a dramatic scene from the novel of the same name by Jules Verne. The image portrays a giant squid battling a whale, with the whale's tail breaking the surface of the water while its body descends into the depths, its immense size dwarfing the human figures in the foreground. This captivating scene epitomizes the adventurous and fantastical elements of Verne's classic science fiction story, immersing viewers in the underwater world he created. Riou's detailed engraving skillfully captures the immense scale of the creatures and the perilous nature of the encounter.