Peter the Wild Boy

An illustrated picture book project about the true story of Peter the Wild Boy of Hamelin, der wilde Peter von Hameln. Sketches, storyboards, page spreads, full page illustrations, storytelling, character design.

In 1724, a 12-year old boy was found near the German town of Hamelin. He didn’t speak a word, and his mannerisms were strange. Who was he? The children called him ‚Peter‘ or ‚Peter the Wild Boy’. No one understood this young boy, but they were intrigued. Was he human? A feral child raised by bears?

About a year later, he was introduced to king George I of England and his court, who were fascinated. A doctor-mathematician took special interest in him, believing to have found a living specimen of the „Homo ferus“, the Feral Human. All attempts of teaching him the human language fell short, but Peter showed an interest in music.

He spent the rest of his life in the English countryside, with a leather collar around his neck, indicating his identity and affiliation.
I wanted to offer a different kind of ending to this story about fascination through misunderstanding, one where Peter leaves this collar behind and returns to where he seemed happiest: To his bear.