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People forget that much of Escher's work were prints done by woodblock - what he would do is not draw on paper, but carve wood, which of course means working in

by frossie 17y ago

People forget that much of Escher's work were prints done by woodblock - what he would do is not draw on paper, but carve wood, which of course means working in the "negative" of the image. Looking at the woodblocks is simply mindblowing - a real mind hack. They are not often on tour, so Escher fans in Europe should hop onto a cheap easyJet flight to Greece to see this: http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=32192 http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=3219... I saw an earlier installment of that exhibition series and it was well worth a trip. [Edit: Looks like some woodblocks will be in the US early next year: http://www.pbpulse.com/arts-and-culture/art-museums/2009/05/20/the-boca-museums-new-season-elvis-escher/ http://www.pbpulse.com/arts-and-culture/art-museums/2009/05/... ]

diiq 17y ago
They exist in the US, just not on display. I got the chance to examine the (US) National Gallery's collection of Escher prints; they aren't on display, but stored in the library, and you can see them on request. There are hundreds of prints, many of which are artist's proofs, and have penciled notes in the margins. It was those that impressed me more than anything else; as a printmaker, I hold his work in the highest regard --- and to see the amount of work he had to go to in order to accomplish the effects that he did did nothing to decrease my admiration. It's worth looking at his straight forward woodcuts and lithographs, also, in addition to his famous tessellations and spatial warps; they are the epitome of good printmaking.
- frossie 17y ago
  I believe one of the reason the prints are rarely on display is that the paper he used was not of archival quality and has really suffered with the passage of time. The woodblocks are simply very rare - some recycled by the artist even IIRC to make more blocks.
  - diiq 17y ago
    Also, his prints are simply rare. There are less than 500 images in his entire body of work, as I recall. Only some of those used blocks (he also made lithographs, mezzotints, aquatints...), and only some of those survive.

by frossie 17y ago

diiq 17y ago

They exist in the US, just not on display. I got the chance to examine the (US) National Gallery's collection of Escher prints; they aren't on display, but stored in the library, and you can see them on request. There are hundreds of prints, many of which are artist's proofs, and have penciled notes in the margins. It was those that impressed me more than anything else; as a printmaker, I hold his work in the highest regard --- and to see the amount of work he had to go to in order to accomplish the effects that he did did nothing to decrease my admiration. It's worth looking at his straight forward woodcuts and lithographs, also, in addition to his famous tessellations and spatial warps; they are the epitome of good printmaking.

frossie 17y ago
I believe one of the reason the prints are rarely on display is that the paper he used was not of archival quality and has really suffered with the passage of time. The woodblocks are simply very rare - some recycled by the artist even IIRC to make more blocks.
- diiq 17y ago
  Also, his prints are simply rare. There are less than 500 images in his entire body of work, as I recall. Only some of those used blocks (he also made lithographs, mezzotints, aquatints...), and only some of those survive.