Self-Portrait 1918

This is M.C. Escher's self-portrait, a print rendered with a limited palette. The shades of brown create a contrast that defines the artist's features through bold, geometric shapes. The texture of the paper gives a tactile quality, softening the starkness of the lines. Escher’s reduction of his likeness into interlocking forms invites a semiotic reading. The light and dark areas function as signifiers, suggesting a play between visibility and concealment. This self-portrait hints at structuralist ideas, where identity is not a fixed entity but a constructed system of signs. The composition is also influenced by the philosophical interest in perception, as it challenges viewers to actively assemble a coherent image from abstract elements. The overall form of the portrait and the way Escher simplifies his image highlight how art destabilizes the traditional concept of representation.