(Color test for unidentified print) 1971

This color test was made by M.C. Escher, and it's like a little peek behind the curtain, isn't it? I imagine him, probably in his studio, mixing inks, trying to get just the right shade. It's mostly a kind of hazy blue, made with black, transparent white, and something called "Tuben Blan," whatever that is. I like seeing those test circles to the side, evidence of the act of painting itself. I can almost feel the texture of the paper, see the way the ink sits on the surface. This little rectangle is an experiment, a moment of trying something out. It makes you think about the way artists are always in conversation with each other. I feel a connection to Escher through this. This unassuming work reminds us that all art comes out of the process of continuous questioning and exploration.