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Artist M.C. Escher
Staircases that lead to an infinite loop, divisions of plane into imaginative space, and hands that draw themselves—these are some of the images we associate with M.C. Escher. His inventive and expertly executed prints have made him one of the most famous graphic artists of the 20th century, and a new exhibition at the World Chess Hall of Fame explores not only this well-known illusionistic imagery, but also his early landscapes and figurative work. M.C. Escher: Infinite Variations is on display from May 2 until September 22 and features over 100 pieces by the Dutch artist.
In the first-floor gallery, the viewer is immediately met with Metamorphosis II. This impressive print required 20 different woodblocks to create and show tessellations that morph in a progression of insects and animals, an Italian cityscape, and eventually into a chessboard. From here the exhibition opens to Escher’s early work. Among these is a striking depiction of St. Francis of Assisi in St. Francis Preaching to the Birds, a portrait of his wife, and a large nude figurative work.
Escher, who lived and worked in Italy for 11 years after finishing school, was inspired by the scenery and architecture there. In these prints, we already see hints of his later work in the push and pull, abstraction, and perspective extremes of these Italian landscapes and cityscapes. For example, Inside St. Peter’s shows us the basilica not from the ground looking up, but from the ceiling looking down. This dizzying perspective helps to convey the enormity of the space and shows the unusual perspective often employed by Escher.
This gallery also boasts book illustrations and seven of the eight mezzotints the artist produced. Nestled in the back corner is a full-length documentary on the artist, loungers and headphones for viewing, and Escher-inspired puzzles for kids.
The second level of the exhibition contains Escher’s later work. On display are recognizable prints such as Swans, Reptiles, and several impossible constructions including Convex and Concave. There are also examples of Escher’s sculptures, and sketches showing his planning methods. As a real treat to printmakers, several examples of lithograph stones and woodblocks used by the artist are included in the exhibition.
A chess enthusiast himself, Escher is a natural fit to display in the World Chess Hall of Fame. Like the game of chess, his artwork is mathematical, analytical, and infinite. As curator Shannon Bailey says of the connection, “As part of our mission at the World Chess Hall of Fame, our goal is to make chess accessible to as many people as possible. We've explored so many connections between the ancient game and contemporary issues and interests—chess and art, chess and fashion, chess and comic books, and many more. We are so excited to show a connection between chess and math.”
The collection comes to St. Louis from the Herakleidon Museum in Athens, Greece. As the founder of the museum and lender of the collection, Paul Firos says, “It gives me great joy to see them on display in St. Louis for the first time ever. I have long loved M.C. Escher for his attention to detail and mathematical principles. The parallels between his work and the intricacies of chess are striking and unique.”
The general public is invited to attend the opening reception at the World Chess Hall of Fame on May 2, 2019, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. In addition to the pieces exhibited at the WCHOF, 35 more pieces will be on display at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art.
