In this surrealist illustration, Pepetto explores a fictional evolutionary branch where marine life and early optical machinery are indistinguishable. The Hippocampus Camerarum serves as a biological precursor to the camera, its anatomy a complex arrangement of vintage textures and vertical architectural lines that mimic the bellows and lenses of a bygone era. The composition leans into a nostalgic retro vibe, utilizing the collage medium to bridge the gap between maritime adventure and scientific discovery.

By framing this mythological beast within a classic aesthetic, the artist suggests a lost history of the deep, where the act of seeing underwater was first performed by the inhabitants of the ocean themselves. The work relies on a rich diversity of textures to give the creature an object character, making the impossible anatomy feel grounded in the physical reality of early darkrooms and deep-sea expeditions.