Escher Today

In September 1941 Escher started on his woodcut Fish, the first work he produced after moving to Baarn. In his diary he wrote about the process:

12 Sep: 'At night fish woodcut idea.'
13 Sep: 'Started on it.'
07 Oct: 'Started on 1st block Fish.'
16 Oct: 'Started on 2nd block Fish.'
23 Oct: 'Started on 3rd block Fish.'

The liberation of the Netherlands in May 1945 was personally as well as artistically liberating for Maurits Escher. In the second half of that year he produced Balcony, Doric Columns, Three Spheres I and a woodcut for the 'Tijdelijke Academie (Temporary Academy)' in Eindhoven. He was also working on the lithograph Magic Mirror, which would be completed in January 1946. In Three Spheres I, from September that year, he very precisely demonstrates how to evoke a three-dimensional form on a flat surface.

In September 1935 Maurits Cornelis Escher made a woodcut for his cousin Anne Escher (1895-1971), the founder and director of engineering company Ir. Escher's Constructiewerkplaatsen en Machinefabriek N.V. The company, founded in 1925, would grow into a major metalworking company, which by the 1950s had the largest factory hall in The Hague.
In 1930 the company started using stick welding. Maurits Escher used the welder with his distinctive hood for the woodcut, which was to be used as a logo for his cousin.

In September 1956 Escher designed a New Year’s card for the Dutch postal service (PTT). He would reuse the motif of the winged envelopes (in slightly altered form) when the PTT approached him again in 1967 asking him to ‘extend’ his Metamorphosis II from the existing 153 inches to 268 inches. For the new post office in The Hague this new Metamorphosis III would be blown up to a giant 157 feet. So Escher had to come up with another 115 inches.

On 2 September 1954, the International Congress of Mathematicians opened in Amsterdam. This is the largest mathematical conference in the world, held once every four years, at which the famous Fields medal is awarded. On the initiative of the ICM, an extensive solo exhibition with Escher's work was held in the Stedelijk Museum. The organising committee chaired by Amsterdam professor of Mathematics N.G. de Bruijn put Escher on a pedestal as a unique link between art and mathematics.

This week we had a slight change in terms of the works on display. Some were returned to the depot and in return a series of connected works can now be seen: nine woodcuts from the Emblemata series Escher produced in 1931. This is a unique opportunity to see this many ‘images with adages’, works accompanied by a motto and a poem.

In December 1938 Escher received a government commission to create 10 woodcuts for a booklet on Delft. For the not insubstantial sum of 800 guilders (about €7,500 now). The commission was inspired by a series he created in 1934, called Nocturnal Rome. In the end, the book was never published, but he did produce the woodcuts. Since this series is the only one he made about a Dutch city, the outcome is rather special. 

The holidays are a time for relaxing, fun and enjoyment. Not just for people living their hectic lives today, but also for M.C. Escher in his day. He rarely worked on his prints during the summer months. He visited Switzerland, France or Italy with his family, went on holidays with Jetta or one of his sons, or made sea trips with his wife or friends. 

13 August 1923 saw Escher’s first solo exhibition open at the ‘Circolo Artistico’ in Siena. A milestone, but he paid very little attention to it. He was in love with Jetta Umiker and all his thoughts and actions were focused on her.

On August 9, 1957, Escher boarded the s.s. Luna, which was being loaded at the Surinamekade in Amsterdam. He was to spend over six weeks on board of this freighter, travelling to and across the Mediterranean, passing through a number of ports in Greece.