Scarabs 1935

M.C. Escher made this striking print of scarabs, and like so much of his work, it’s about looking closely and finding magic in unexpected places. Just check out the way he builds up the texture on that dung ball! It’s like a whole world contained in a sphere, rendered with such care and precision. You can almost feel the grit between your fingers. And those beetles, they’re like little machines, all sharp angles and gleaming surfaces. Look at the way Escher plays with light, creating these deep, velvety shadows that make the whole scene feel so real. That contrast between light and dark is really the heart of this piece. It reminds me a little of Durer, who also loved to explore the hidden corners of the natural world with such detail and intensity. Both artists invite us to slow down, to pay attention, and to see the beauty in the everyday. It’s a reminder that art is all about conversation, about seeing the world in new and surprising ways.