Nocturnal Rome, Colosseum 1934

M.C. Escher made this dramatic and evocative print of the Colosseum in Rome using traditional printmaking techniques, probably woodcut, or perhaps lithography. I can imagine Escher, late at night, sketching furiously, trying to capture the moodiness of the ancient amphitheater. He might have been thinking about light and how it defines form, how to build an image from dark to light using only black ink and the white of the paper. The print is built up of tiny strokes and lines, like a pointillist painting. Look at the archway on the right. See how the stark white highlights create a sense of depth, drawing you into the structure. It’s like Escher is playing with perspective, challenging our perception. He probably knew his printmaking heroes – Piranesi, for sure – and was thinking about space and the relationship between art and architecture. The conversations between artists are endless, spanning eras, each inspiring the other to see the world anew.