Initial H c. 1932

This is M.C. Escher’s woodcut, 'Initial H'. Although undated, Escher made the print in the Netherlands, sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. Escher's work often explores mathematical relationships, and in this print, two stylized birds emerge from the vertical strokes that form the letter ‘H’. Escher's images tap into a cultural fascination with geometry, but his prints were also tied to the graphic arts. The popularity of woodcut and other traditional printmaking techniques rose in the early 20th century, fuelled by the Arts and Crafts movement. This movement reacted against industrialisation and embraced the handmade. Art historians have noted that the revival of printmaking served as a kind of rebellion against the increasingly slick and mass-produced images of modernity. To understand Escher fully, we need to look at art journals and exhibition reviews from his time. These sources reveal how the artist both embraced and questioned the changing role of art in a rapidly modernizing world.