Old Olive Tree, Corsica 1934

This is 'Old Olive Tree, Corsica' by M.C. Escher, rendered in black and white with meticulous detail. Dominating the composition, the olive tree is a symbol steeped in history. Its presence in the Mediterranean has spanned millennia, representing peace, wisdom, and resilience. The gnarled trunk, twisted by age and weather, echoes the Laocoön Group's writhing figures, their forms distorted by agony. Just as the Hellenistic sculpture embodied human suffering, Escher's tree conveys a sense of endurance and the passage of time. Olive trees have been revered across cultures, from ancient Greece, where they were sacred to Athena, to the Bible, where an olive branch symbolized reconciliation. In Escher's hands, the tree becomes a powerful emblem, resonating with the collective memory of generations. Perhaps, subconsciously, he was drawn to the tree's potent symbolism, engaging viewers on a deep, intuitive level. The cyclical progression of this symbol has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings.