(Color test for unidentified print) 1971

This color test for an unidentified print was made by M.C. Escher, though exactly when we’re not sure. It looks like he was working with blue and black inks, thinning them out to play with transparency. You know, what grabs me is the raw process here. It’s just ink on paper, a straightforward attempt to see what happens when colors mix and blend. There is a dense square of blue, grainy but even, like a cloudy sky. And then, off to the side, these faded circular stains, each one different, where he experimented with the ink. It's amazing how much emotion can be contained in something so simple. This feels closely related to the tonal studies of artists like James McNeill Whistler. The only difference is that this little study offers us a glimpse into the nuts and bolts of Escher's wider practice. It embraces ambiguity, and shows how even a test can be a kind of art.