Study for part of "Snakes" c. 1969

This is a study for part of "Snakes" by M.C. Escher, who was born in the Netherlands in 1898. It’s a wood engraving, a printmaking technique that demands both precision and patience. The way Escher coaxes such intricate detail from the wood is key. Look closely, and you’ll see he’s used hatching and cross-hatching to build up areas of tone. The white lines have to be physically carved out of the block with chisels, while the black areas are the original surface. It's a labor-intensive process, and the quality of the final print depends entirely on the artist's skill with the cutting tools. Escher wasn't just a master of technique, but he also had a deep understanding of mathematical principles. These intersecting patterns might look purely decorative, but they're carefully calculated to create a sense of depth and movement. By attending to these details of material, making, and context, we can appreciate Escher's work as more than just a clever optical illusion.