The artwork titled “Drawing Hands” is a lithograph created by the renowned artist Maurits Cornelis Escher in the year 1948. Belonging to the Surrealism art movement, this piece is an allegorical painting that measures 28.2 by 33.2 centimeters (11 1/8 x 13 1/8 inches). The lithograph exemplifies Escher’s fascination with paradox and infinity, blending reality with illusion in a visually compelling composition.
The artwork depicts a pair of hands emerging from a flat sheet of paper, with each hand actively engaged in the process of drawing the other into existence. The hands appear remarkably lifelike, with intricate detailing that showcases the artist’s skillful use of shading and perspective. This mutual creation seems to form an endless cycle, as the two hands are locked in an eternal act of creation, challenging the viewers’ perception of the boundaries between two-dimensional and three-dimensional space, as well as blurring the line between the creator and the creation. The surrealist nature of this piece invites contemplation of the interplay between art and reality, an ongoing theme in Escher’s body of work.
