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San Giovanni, Ravello
Escher Today
11 July 2020

San Giovanni, Ravello

In the spring of 1931, Escher and his wife travelled together along the Amalfi coast, an area of which they both had fond memories, not least because they met there in 1923. They visited places like Vietri, Puntone, Scala, Positano, Praiano and of course Ravello. Here stood the Albergo dell Toro, the hotel where Maurits and Jetta first set eyes on one another. The town has special significance for them and is given prominence in Escher’s work too. He was particularly affected by the Spanish-Islamic motifs he found in the town, including the ones in the Duomo. He did several drawings and took several photos in Ravello and the town can also be seen in a series of prints that he produced in the early 1930s. One is San Giovanni, Ravello (in Campidoglio), Ravello. A wood engraving from February 1932.

M.C. Escher, San Giovanni (in Campidoglio), Ravello, wood engraving, February 1932

M.C. Escher, San Giovanni (in Campidoglio), Ravello, wood engraving, February 1932

Commemorative plaque in the Viale Wagner in Ravello, celebrating Escher’s stay in Ravello over many years.

Commemorative plaque in the Viale Wagner in Ravello, celebrating Escher’s stay in Ravello over many years.

On the print you can see a church which, after some investigative work, turns out to be the San Giovanni dell’Acqua. It is located on a hill west of Ravello, in the hamlet of Campidoglio.

Eschers diary from 3-10 May 1931, mentioning the train journey from Rome to Ravello and a list with drawings he made during his stay.

Eschers diary from 3-10 May 1931, mentioning the train journey from Rome to Ravello and a list with drawings he made during his stay.

Photo album, Ravello, May 1931

Photo album, Ravello, May 1931

Escher at the Albergo dell Toro, May 1931

Escher at the Albergo dell Toro, May 1931

San Giovanni dell'Acqua, 2015, photo: Akiba Rubinstein

San Giovanni dell'Acqua, 2015, photo: Akiba Rubinstein

Erik Kersten

Erik Kersten

Editor

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