Nonza, Corsica 1934

Editor: We’re looking at M.C. Escher's "Nonza, Corsica" from 1934, a black and white drawing depicting a tightly packed village. It feels very graphic, almost like a woodcut. What formal elements stand out to you? Curator: Immediately, the dramatic contrast of light and shadow is striking. Escher employs this stark chiaroscuro not for realistic representation, but to abstract and flatten the forms. Consider the way the white church contrasts so boldly with the dark rooftops. Do you perceive a distortion in perspective? Editor: Yes, the viewpoint feels almost impossible, looking down from above and yet somehow also at eye-level. The church seems to float above everything else. Curator: Precisely. It disrupts our conventional understanding of space. This flattening, this ambiguity, highlights the drawing's constructed nature, reminding us that it is a two-dimensional representation, not a perfect mirror of reality. Look at how the texture of the roofs are rendered. Notice anything specific? Editor: They are intensely detailed, each shingle meticulously drawn, giving a very tactile impression despite the overall flatness. It feels like Escher is emphasizing the act of seeing, of analyzing, and reassembling what we perceive. Curator: An astute observation. This focus on the internal structure and compositional devices aligns the work with Modernist principles. The image is a study of lines, forms, light and the disruption of conventional perspective. How does analyzing the structure change how you view the work now? Editor: I see it less as a depiction of a real place and more as an exploration of visual language and the way we interpret depth. It’s an intricate study in representation. Curator: Indeed. Through its formal rigor, the work transcends a simple depiction and invites us to contemplate the mechanics of seeing.