Scholastica 1931

M.C. Escher made 'Scholastica' with a wood engraving, and it's all about how he makes marks, right? Look how he creates this whole world just by carving away at the wood. Each line, each little squiggle, it's all deliberate, like a tiny decision shaping the bigger picture. Now, check out the texture he's got going on. The contrast between the dark, solid forms and the white space, it's almost tactile. You can practically feel the grain of the wood, the sharp cuts of the tool. And the way he layers those lines, it's like he's building up the image bit by bit, creating depth and shadow. Take the owl in the tree, for example, see how the lines of the feathers follow and describe the form? The details are just *chef's kiss*. Escher reminds me of someone like Dürer, who also really embraced the graphic potential of printmaking. They both show how art is a conversation across time, constantly reinventing itself. Ultimately, this piece is an invitation to see the world in a new way, through the eyes of someone who wasn't afraid to play with perspective and push the boundaries of what's possible.