From Earth to the Moon 1865 by Jules Verne

Artwork by Wu Guérin Raphaël

During the winter break, I chose to read From the Earth to the Moon written by Jules Verne in 1865. 

This is a book that I have always wanted to read since my childhood because I am found of science 

fiction literature. The storyline is crystal clear: launching a shell on the Moon with a monumental gun 

dug underground. The three following drawings illustrate the different stages of the shooting. 

Drawing 01: The digging of the gun 

I was highly inspired by some scenes from the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers released 

in 2002 in which we can see Saruman’s goblins digging enormous holes in the ground and cutting the 

surrounding towers. I wanted to show the industrialization of the late 19th century and the intensive 

exploitation of natural resources in the USA. The gun has to be several hundred meters deep in the 

ground. 

Drawing 02: The preparation of the shell 

Once the gun is complete, the shell can be loaded with its passengers inside ready to visit the Moon. 

Once again, the idea of the industrialized era is emphasized by the number of factories and the dark 

clouds of pollution around the gun. The drawing has a similar aesthetic vibe to a cartoon.

Drawing 03: The Moon and its satellite through a telescope 

The last illustration depicts the shell spinning around the Moon and becoming a satellite by mistake. 

The use of the telescope reminds the progress of astronomy explained in the book with the construction 

of the biggest telescope ever built.