Drop 1948

M.C. Escher made this print, titled *Drop*, sometime in the middle of the twentieth century, and it's a real exercise in close looking. The texture on that leaf! I can only imagine Escher working away, line by line, to create that surface with its bulging forms. It’s a real material feat, and when you get up close you can almost feel the leaf’s surface. This is not just about representing an image; it's about creating a world, through labour and the slow accrual of marks. And then that perfect drop of water, reflecting another world completely; a world of light, trees, and open space. That drop is incredible! Escher really knew how to use the qualities of his medium, playing with light and shadow, to give this simple scene a sense of depth. For me, the work is also a reminder that art is about exploration, the back and forth between process, material, and perception. Escher, like many artists, teaches us to see the world in new ways.