Chrysanthemum 1916

M.C. Escher made this print of a chrysanthemum sometime in his life. The stark contrast between the solid black ink and the white paper immediately grabs your attention. It’s like a dance of positive and negative space, with the flower and leaves emerging from the void. What strikes me is the texture, created through the process of woodcutting. You can almost feel the grain of the wood, adding a tactile quality to the image. Look closely at the leaves, how each vein is carefully carved out, creating a sense of depth. The black ink seems to absorb the light, while the paper shines, creating a subtle glow around the flower. Escher's interest in tessellations and mathematical patterns is well known, but this more simple botanical study is an interesting counterpoint. Artists like Karl Blossfeldt, who photographed plants with scientific precision, come to mind here. But in contrast to the scientific process, this print invites us to consider the beauty of form, and the way that art can reveal new ways of seeing.