Oostpoort 1939

M.C. Escher made this woodcut, Oostpoort, without a date, through the deliberate process of carving into wood. The black and white contrast gives it a stark, graphic quality, but there's also a real tenderness in the details. Look at how he renders the sky with parallel lines, like a meditative exercise. Those lines create a sense of depth and atmosphere, but also flatten the image, pushing it towards abstraction. And then there are the buildings, each brick and tile meticulously rendered, contrasting with the organic forms of the trees. See the little tree in front of the gatehouse? It's so delicately drawn, almost like a gesture. That contrast is what makes this print so compelling to me. Escher's print reminds me of the work of Albrecht Dürer, who also explored the possibilities of line and form in his engravings. Art is just an ongoing conversation across time, a constant exchange of ideas and perspectives.