The artwork, titled “Tropea, Calabria,” was created by the renowned artist M.C. Escher in 1931. Emblematic of the Realism art movement, this piece belongs to the cityscape genre and captures the intricate details of the Italian town Tropea, located in Calabria.
In the artwork, Escher illustrates a scenic view of Tropea, meticulously portraying the town’s distinctive architecture perched upon stratified and rugged cliffs. The structures are delineated with precision, embodying the detailed and realistic essence typical of Escher’s oeuvre. The composition showcases a harmonious blend of natural rock formations with man-made buildings, highlighting the juxtaposition between the organic and the constructed elements. The textures of the cliffs and the facades of the buildings are rendered with fine lines, enhancing the depth and dimensionality of the scene. The interplay of shadows and highlights further emphasizes the realism, immersing viewers in the breathtaking coastal landscape of Tropea.