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Relativity M.

C Escher
I have analysed and interpreted the lithograph Relativity by the Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis
Escher.
When I look at this picture, I see a weird
and surrealistic combination of figures and
stairs in different perspectives and
gravities.
My first impression is that this picture looks
bizarre. However, it also gives a feeling of
structure. It is strange due to the different
perspectives. I think it is cool.
There are eleven different stairways. I can
see sixteen human-like figures without
faces. Furthermore there are four openings
in the walls showing a garden behind them.
I can see a door as well. There are
balustrades besides all the stairs. Light is
coming from the openings, giving a
peaceful feeling. However, at the same
time there are a lot of shadows and two dark door openings; this creates a dark feeling. The
peaceful and dark feelings combined create a yin-yang contrast. It seems like the general
material which is used for the building is stone. I get the feeling the setting takes place in the
middle ages.
My attention is grabbed by all the stairs and the centre of the piece. The figure carrying a
bag and the figure sitting on a rectangle grab my attention. The lithograph exists of straight
lines and mostly cubic or round shapes. If you look at the lithograph closely, you can see it is
created of narrow lines, producing a difference between light and dark. The higher the
density of the lines, the darker the spots get. Escher made the lithograph in different shades
of grey (white, black, light grey, dark grey etc.). The shades of grey give a mysterious effect
because the contrast creates depth. The lines drawn all have their own horizon which create
different perspectives. Most of the shapes are geometric, for example, the round bows
above the openings and the squared stairways. In addition, there are also organic shapes,
namely the figures and the plants.
The title can be explained by observing the different perspectives and gravities. Since in
short, relativity explains the law of gravitation. There is symbolism present in the lithograph
because Escher did not give the figures individual identities. Perhaps he did not want to
distract us from the main idea of the painting. Maybe, from a certain perspective, people are
interchangeable. Escher used three point perspective for Relativity, each being
perpendicular to the two others. Each inhabitant lives in one of the gravity wells, where
normal physical laws apply. The sixteen characters are spread between each gravity source,
six in one and five each in the other two. The apparent confusion of the lithograph print
comes from the fact that the three gravity sources are depicted in the same space. The use
of the three perspective points are there to make the lithograph surrealistic like almost all
art pieces of Escher. I think Eschers goal was to make an unique, surrealistic and confusing
artwork, which I think he succeeded. Furthermore he might have wanted to show the people
we are living in all small worlds of our own, without interfering with each other. The figures
all have their own perspectives, using the same stairways in a different way. This can be
related to real life because each person has his or her own frame of reference.
The original piece of art was a lithograph. A lithograph is a kind of painting drawn with oil,
fat or wax on a limestone plate. This lithograph was first printed in 1953. Maurits Cornelis
Escher was born in Leeuwarden on the 17th of June 1898. Maurits died in Hilversum on the
27th of May 1972. He was a Dutch artist, who was known for his wood carving, wood
engravings and lithographs, in which he played with mathematical principles. Maurits often
made surrealistic artworks. He used impossible constructions, infinity studies, matching
geometric patterns and different dimensions several times. After 1960, Escher's graphic
work is used in scientific (learning) books. To Escher's astonishment, hippies and pop stars
appreciated his work because of the fantasy parallel worlds.
My conclusion, I have not changed my mind, I thought at first that the Relativity was cool,
but strange at the same time. I really like the way how he played with different dimensions
in a surrealistic way. I will think of this masterpiece more often, use his artworks for more
projects and I am going to show it to my friends. We got our own book of his artworks,
which I have used as a source.
Sources:
Wikipedia
A booklet M.C. Escher grafiek en tekeningen
http://www.scottmcd.net/artanalysis/?p=548

Stefan de Reijer 4ve

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