Hand with Fir Cone c. 1921

M.C. Escher made this print, Hand with Fir Cone, sometime in his life using a wood engraving technique. Look at how Escher's mark-making creates a kind of topography on the hand. The parallel lines aren’t just shading, they’re also describing the form, the roundness of the wrist and the way the muscles pull. The cool thing about wood engraving is the way the tool physically removes material. You have to commit, you know? I love the contrast of the super controlled lines of the hand with the almost chaotic texture of the fir cone. It’s like he’s saying something about the relationship between humans and nature, or maybe just showing off how good he is at different textures. Escher really reminds me of another printmaker, Piranesi, who was also obsessed with perspective and detail. But where Piranesi went big and dramatic, Escher is more intimate, more about the puzzle of perception. Both artists prove that the best art makes you see the world in a new way. It’s not just about what’s there, but how you look at it.