Bookplate Heleen van Thienen 1917

This is M.C. Escher's bookplate for Heleen van Thienen, created in 1917, a woodcut print alive with symbolism. Dominating the design are two stylized birds with crossed bills, a sunburst above. Birds, throughout history, have signified the soul’s journey, messengers between worlds. The sun, of course, is a universal symbol of enlightenment and life. But Escher’s choice goes deeper. The intertwined birds suggest a mirroring, a duality perhaps reflecting the reader’s own journey into the self through literature. We may think of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings and transitions, often depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions. Consider the crossed bills: are they a barrier, or an intimate connection? This tension is not new; it echoes in countless myths where boundaries blur, and opposing forces meet. Escher, consciously or not, taps into this ancient current, engaging our subconscious. Thus, this small bookplate becomes a potent symbol.