Female Nude in Chair 1920

M.C. Escher made this linocut print of a reclining nude sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. Escher is best known for his mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints. This image stands apart from Escher’s more well-known works, demonstrating the artist's adeptness in a range of printmaking techniques and subject matter. Here, we see a female nude rendered in strong contrasts of light and shadow. The figure is reclining, relaxed, and occupies the pictorial space completely. Escher was Dutch, and his work was part of a broader social conversation about the place of eroticism and sexuality in modern life. To truly understand this work, one might consult the artist's personal papers or look to visual culture from the period. Ultimately, the historian reveals how art reflects and shapes the social norms of its time.