Frog 1931

This is M.C. Escher’s ‘Frog,’ a black and white woodcut print of a frog-filled pond. What grabs me right away is how Escher revels in the push and pull of dark and light, the way he uses simple hatching to create so much depth, and how the white of the paper sings out from underneath. It's as if Escher's tools became extensions of his thoughts. Look at the lower frog, sitting in the water, and see how the radiating lines become the ripples in the water. This speaks to the way he thought through the material, each cut becoming a tiny revolution in our perception. The water looks cool and refreshing. For me, this print is so engaging. Perhaps this piece feels related to the work of Jasper Johns, not in terms of subject but in the way it invites us to contemplate the nature of representation itself. It’s a reminder that art is not about answers, but about embracing the endless dance of seeing and thinking.