Museum Escher in The Palace in The Hague recently acquired a unique work by Maurits Cornelis Escher: a woodcut of a white cat. While unmounting it, an unknown text by M.C. Escher himself was also discovered. The woodcut of the white cat had long been on the wish list of Escher in The Palace. The fact that this print is a counterprint makes the acquisition even more exceptional, and a fantastic addition to the collection.
Photo: Gerrit Schreurs
Escher made this work when he had just moved to Haarlem in 1919, to study at the School of Architecture and Decorative Arts. His landlady gave him a white cat as a pet. The animal became a favourite subject for Escher. He filled a sketchbook with drawings of the cat, and depicted it in three woodcuts. Twice, the cat featured as the main subject, while in the third she lies on the sitter’s lap. All three prints are on display at Escher in The Palace from 25 June to 15 September.
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