Delft: Roofs (August 1939) 1939

In August 1939, M.C. Escher created this wood engraving of rooftops in Delft. He really dove deep into process here, and into what’s possible with a simple stark palette of black and white. The thing that’s really striking about this piece is its texture. Each roof tile is meticulously rendered with these tiny, precise lines that create a sense of depth and almost make you want to reach out and touch them. There’s a physicality to the marks that defies the flatness of the print. Look how he varies the lines to suggest light and shadow, creating a complex interplay. Even in the distance, the church tower gets the same intense level of mark making. It reminds me a bit of Piranesi, that obsessive architectural rendering. In the end, though, there's an element of fantasy, or is it just the real world pushed to its limit? What does it all mean? Who knows, but it's gorgeous, right?