Sphere Surface with Longitudinals and Latitudinals 1958

M.C. Escher made this drawing, Sphere Surface with Longitudinals and Latitudinals, date unknown, with pencil on paper. What strikes me first is the process, the simple but kind of ingenious method Escher uses to map out this sphere with lines. The texture of the paper, that warm brown, it’s almost like a sepia photograph. And the way the pencil lines vary in pressure, some fading away, some strong and insistent. It makes me think about the labor involved, the almost meditative act of drawing these lines, one after another. The lines, slightly wavering and imperfect, gives it a human feel. Like a map of an idea, a concept, rather than a real place. It reminds me of work by Sol Lewitt, who explored the use of simple line to create complex images. Both artists invite us to slow down and look closely, and embrace ambiguity. It’s not just about what the thing is, but about how it came to be.