San Gimignano 1923

In this image, M.C. Escher captures San Gimignano, probably through a woodcut or similar technique, given the stark contrasts and precise lines. Imagine Escher, methodically carving away at the block, each cut a deliberate decision to shape light and shadow, feeling the resistance of the wood, thinking about the architecture. The striking towers of the city are what grab you, aren’t they? They shoot up from the more densely packed buildings like a dreamscape of verticality. I wonder if he felt a sense of awe and slight disorientation, similar to what he played with in his more fantastical prints. The repetition of vertical lines throughout the image — in the buildings, the towers, and even the landscape — creates a cohesive visual language. Escher isn’t just showing us a place; he’s inviting us to consider the ways that geometry and perspective can alter our perception. Artists are always in conversation, building upon, responding to, and sometimes subverting what came before. His process becomes a site of inquiry for the artist and the viewer.