Encounter

M.C. Escher Encounter lithograph 34,2 x 46,4 cm May 1944

In Encounter, two completely different people meet. Both of them break free from a tessellation in the background, in which they keep each other prisoner. They walk onto the stage, which contains a circular hole. The pessimist, with his finger raised in warning, walks to the right. The cheerful optimist, with his hand outstretched, walks to the left. They circle back and meet in the middle, where they shake hands despite their differences.