Eagle, Vignette 1922

M.C. Escher created this woodcut print of an eagle vignette in 1922. Escher came of age in the Netherlands in the aftermath of the first World War. In this starkly contrasted black and white print, an eagle is caged in a square, its graphic representation bordering on abstraction. The eagle, a traditional symbol of power, is made vulnerable here. It is an invitation to the opening of the first clubhouse for the “Institute for Older Youth.” Considering the historical context, this image may speak to the tensions between the promise of youth and the containment of adulthood. It is a poignant visual metaphor for the generational impact of war. Escher uses a powerful symbol to reflect the shifting identities and expectations of a generation coming to maturity in a fractured world.