![]() ![]() The fact that his face appears directly in the center of the sphere indicates his mastery over the illusion. This enigma is further enhanced by the fact that Escher gazes directly out of the picture instead of representing himself drawing the image. The plain background of the work focuses attention onto the reflection but also causes the viewer to question the accuracy of the depiction, the hand and sphere appear to exist in a void in which only the reflection is real. The work is representative of his increasing fascination with visual illusions, mirrored reflections, and perceptual self-references. ![]() Some of his other works can be seen framed on the walls of the studio. Light from the window at the far end of the room highlights the furniture behind Escher and casts a shadow across his face creating depth within the portrait. One of the last paintings from his Italian period, this lithograph depicts Escher sitting in his studio in Rome, reflected in a mirrored sphere which is held in one of his hands. Whilst Castrovalva is approached with realism Escher also created images in this period which were more fantastical such as The Bridge (1930) which incorporates realistic architectural elements into an imaginary framework. The work encompasses a wide field of vision from high to low and near to far and this gives the piece multiple points of focus from the carefully rendered plants in the foreground to the sheer sides of the buildings to the distant mountains silhouetted at the end of the valley. Castrovalva also demonstrates Escher's early interest in spatial relationships and his attempts to capture three-dimensionality on paper. This drama is heightened by the overall darkness of the image and the strong contrast between these tones and the paler highlights. Like many of his Italian works, this is a detailed and accurate portrayal but despite the image's realism it maintains an air of fantasy. In these he explored depictions of the landscapes, towns, and buildings that he encountered on his extensive travels around the country. This image is part of the body of work that Escher produced in Italy from 1923 to 1935. Over the course of his 60 year career he produced a total of 448 prints, an average of only seven or eight a year. The process to create his detailed and precise images was time-consuming and required a great deal of skill and manual dexterity.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |