image essay #12

This piece by M. C. Escher is juxtaposed in a sense, because the leaves are arranged in a way that leads your eye around. While looking at the leaves you are then drawn to look beyond, which you will then see a coy fish under the water. The way Escher was able to create enough clarity in the water to see the fish and nothing else is neat because it makes you focus on that alone. This could mean the coy fish holds some sort of significance to either Escher or the message he it attempting to portray.

The reflection of the trees on the water plays a valid role in the piece as a whole. The leaves lead your eyes back into the piece while the reflection of the trees lead your eyes back down the piece to the fish. The leaves also give the piece a sense of depth and calmness, in that there are no ripples in the water. Escher could be trying to put you in a peaceful state of mind with the calm water and the peaceful coy fish. The grey scale color used also makes the piece seem calm and blissful. With all the leaves on the water and the leafless trees above, we can assume from the reflection, put you in a autumn of early winter setting as well.