Gallery 1946

This lithograph was made by M.C. Escher in 1956. The visual experience here is dominated by an infinite perspective, accentuated by the stark contrast of light and shadow. The formal structure is immediately striking. Escher plays with our perception by creating a seemingly endless gallery space, where impossible shapes and dimensions challenge our understanding of reality. The lithographic technique allows for a detailed rendering of textures and patterns, enhancing the surreal quality of the scene. Escher destabilizes the established conventions of spatial representation. The use of perspective doesn't lead to a coherent vanishing point; instead, it loops back on itself, creating a visual paradox. This challenges fixed notions of space and perception. The artwork does not have a singular meaning, but it invites us to reconsider the limits of representation and the nature of reality. The recurring motifs, like the birds, the space, and the hanging lamps, function as signs within this visual system.