Street in Scanno, Abruzzi 1946

Escher made this print of a street scene in Scanno with a woodcut, and when you look at it, you can feel the artist carving away at the block, making all those tiny marks! The buildings feel like they are rising up from the ground, solid and blocky. I can imagine Escher walking through these streets, pausing to look up, thinking about the way the light hits the buildings, and the way the shadows creep into every corner. He's playing with light and shadow, creating depth, but then also flattening the image at the same time. The street is quiet, but there is a feeling of mystery, like something is about to happen. All those dark windows, they feel like eyes! This print makes me think about the ways that we see the world around us and how artists help us to see things in new ways. The buildings are almost like puzzle pieces, fitting together in unexpected ways. Escher is in conversation with architecture, perspective, and perception – a conversation that never ends!