Your art history post for today is by Dutch artist M.C. Escher (1898-1972): Hand with Reflecting Sphere, 1935, lithograph. Being an original print, it appears in several collections, including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. #arthistory #lithography
From the National Gallery of Art website: “In tones of gray and black printed on tan-colored paper, this vertical lithograph shows a hand holding up a metallic sphere, which reflects the hand and body of the bearded man holding it, as well as the room behind the man. The background behind the hand and orb lightens from black along the bottom edge to light gray across the top. Wrinkles cross the wrist, and the lines of the hand are clearly visible. In the reflection, which is distorted along the contour of the mirrored ball, the man’s hair is brushed back from his high forehead, and he looks at us, or at his reflection, with large eyes. His thick mustache and beard are neatly trimmed. He wears a suit with a vest over a tie and button-down shirt. His left fist rests on his left thigh, and he holds up the orb with his other hand. In the room behind him, to our right, an alcove with windows on two sides has two upholstered armchairs, a few side tables, and a lamp sitting on a sideboard. The man sits in a chair with wooden arms, next to a form that could be a reclining couch with a pillow. A shelf hangs on the wall behind the man, and pictures hang above and below the single row of books. The print has a grainy, speckled look, as if drawn with charcoal on textured paper.”
