Escher Foundation

Even though Dutch artist M. C. Escher is very well known in Russia from books and magazines, the exhibition of his work that is part of Days of Dutch Culture is the first ever in the country. M.C. Escher was born in the Dutch town of Leeuwarden in 1898. He spent his teenage years in Arnhem, but later he moved to Haarlem to study architecture and ornamental design. His drawing teacher, Jessurun de Mesquita, recognised Escher's talent for graphical work and suggested he should change his subject to wood-cutting and other graphic techniques. From this moment until his death in 1972, Escher made hundreds of drawings, lithographs, mezzotints, wood-cuttings and engravings. 

After his studies in Haarlem, he spent several years in Italy where he fell in love with the amazing landscapes, hills and picturesque buildings. Escher's Italian period is mainly characterised by his figurative presentation of the Italian landscape. Around 1936 it became clear Italy would become involved in the war, which made Escher decide to move to Switzerland, a few years later to Belgium and finally back to Holland. During these years he visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain twice. In the Moorish palace he became intrigued by the intricate patterns on the hundreds of mosaics in the palace. Because of their religion, the Moorish people were not allowed to portray humans or animals. 

In Switzerland, Belgium and Holland, Escher missed the inspiration of the Italian landscapes and so he started using the patterns he had seen in the Alhambra. These patterns became his new source of inspiration to which he added human forms, animals, plants and flowers. In this way the range of mathematical patterns that made him world famous were created. Also, the optical illusions he immortalised in several of his works were admired all over the world. The exhibition at the Hermitage will show a broad overview of his work, including his Italian period as well as his later work.

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