Last Interview with Smerdyakov (Book XI: Ivan Fyodorovich, facing p.484) 1949

Fritz Eichenberg made this stark wood engraving, "Last Interview with Smerdyakov", to illustrate Dostoyevsky's novel, *The Brothers Karamazov*. You can almost feel Eichenberg’s hand as he carefully cuts into the wood, making deliberate, clean marks, scratching out the image. The overall effect is angular, intense, and dramatic. The sharp lines create deep shadows, intensifying the mood. I imagine Eichenberg, deeply immersed in Dostoyevsky's world, trying to get under the skin of Smerdyakov, who’s clearly not a nice guy. I can feel the tension in the room, the weight of secrets, the sense of impending doom. The artist leaves space for us to fill in the gaps and imagine the psychology of the characters. Eichenberg, like other illustrators such as Paula Rego and Raymond Pettibon, uses storytelling to unlock a more personal and emotional register. They all remind me that art is not just about what we see, but how we interpret what we see. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves.