Fall of man 1920

M.C. Escher made this print of the ‘Fall of Man’ using linoleum. Escher made this image in the Netherlands, a country with a strong tradition of religious painting. Here, though, the artist gives us a very modernist take on a familiar biblical scene. The story of Adam and Eve is central to the Christian idea of original sin; a foundational myth about the origins of humankind. Here, Escher uses the visual code of black and white to suggest the way that knowledge of good and evil leads to shame. Look at the self-conscious way Adam shields himself. Escher made art for a wide audience, and this explains his use of such recognizable iconography. The print suggests that modern art and traditional stories may be more aligned than we think. To properly understand Escher's work, one must consider the commercial print industry and its effect on society. It is through printed images that most people learn the codes and languages of art.