Book for the Archives Nationales

A series of 20 illustrated plates commissioned by the French National Archives, for the book L’île des Mers Perdues (The Island of Lost Seas), illustrated by Virgile Demo with the support of Karolina Dema. Written by author and actor Pierre Hancisse, L’Ile des Mers Perdues is an ecological tale infused with dreamlike visions. It tells the story of island dwellers pushed to leave their home after a gigantic tree appears on their shores.

L’île des Mers Perdues was written and illustrated in collaboration with elementary school students, aged 6-9 years old, through a series of workshops at the Archives Nationales in Paris, between 2019 and 2021.

All 20 illustrated plates are now part of the permanent collections of the Archives Nationales.

Delivery Date: May 2021

Artist: Demo Dema

Dimensions: 60 x 85 cm (A2)

Techniques: Ink and Pastel on Carbon Paper