Scáfani, sicilie 1933

M.C. Escher made this print of Scáfani, in Sicily, using black ink on paper. I can imagine Escher carefully carving into a block, removing slivers of wood to leave behind a design of stark contrasts. He's really nailed that Mediterranean light, hasn't he? You can see the labor he invested here, each line a tiny decision, a commitment. Imagine him, carefully considering each mark. Do you think he was lost in thought, meditating on the geometry of the landscape, its peaks and valleys? Maybe he was thinking about the sheer effort it takes to climb those hills! I feel that Scáfani, in all its meticulous detail, resonates with the work of other printmakers, all those artists who painstakingly coax images into being. They're all in conversation, a community of makers across time. And that’s what it’s all about, right? The ongoing exchange of ideas, inspiring each other's creativity.