Skull with Cigarette (1917) by M.C. Escher

Skull with Cigarette - M.C. Escher - 1917

Artwork Information

TitleSkull with Cigarette
ArtistM.C. Escher
Date1917
Mediumpencil,chalk,paper
Art MovementExpressionism
Current LocationPrivate Collection

About Skull with Cigarette

“Skull with Cigarette,” created by M.C. Escher in 1917, is a work of art rendered with pencil and chalk on paper. This piece is associated with the Expressionism art movement and fits within the allegorical painting genre. It currently resides in a private collection.

The artwork showcases a skull adorned with a top hat, poised with a cigarette in its teeth. The use of pencil and chalk imparts a textured, lifelike quality to the skull, while the starkness of the top hat adds a surreal, almost whimsical element. Despite the somber subject matter, the expression is lightened by the cigarette, imbuing the piece with a subtly ironic commentary. The use of shading and highlights gives depth to the skull, simultaneously evoking themes of mortality and the macabre, characteristic of allegorical expression.

Other Artwork from M.C. Escher

More Expressionism Artwork

Scroll to Top