The Little Mermaid (2004), illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger, is a breathtaking reinterpretation of Hans Christian Andersen‘s 1837 fairy tale, showcasing the Austrian artist’s ethereal watercolors and hauntingly delicate style. This edition, published by Minedition, transforms Andersen’s melancholic story of sacrifice and unrequited love into a visual masterpiece that lingers between dream and nightmare.
Zwerger’s illustrations depart from Disney’s cheerful adaptation, instead capturing the tale’s original darkness—the mermaid’s silent agony, the sea witch’s grotesque lair, and the prince’s obliviousness to her suffering. Her muted palette and fluid, almost ghostly figures emphasize the story’s themes of longing and transformation, particularly in the climactic scene where the mermaid dissolves into sea foam.
The book includes Andersen’s unabridged text, allowing Zwerger’s art to amplify its emotional weight. A standout is her depiction of the underwater kingdom: not as a vibrant paradise, but as a shadowy realm where the mermaid’s crimson hair becomes the only burst of color, symbolizing her passionate, doomed heart.
For collectors of illustrated fairy tales, seek Zwerger’s The Wizard of Oz (1996) or Alice in Wonderland (1999) for more of her surreal magic.
(Fun fact: Zwerger won the Hans Christian Andersen Medal (1990) for her lifelong contribution to children’s literature—making her interpretation a meeting of two Andersen legends.)
