Escher's Roman Journey: 300 Works at Palazzo Bonaparte

Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome presents a major retrospective of Maurits Cornelis Escher, curated by Federico Giudiceandrea and Mark Veldhuysen, marking a century since the Dutch artist's arrival in the city in 1923. The exhibition assembles approximately 300 works, including iconic pieces such as 'Hand with Reflecting Sphere', 'Bond of Union', 'Metamorphosis II', 'Day and Night', and the 'Emblemata' series. Alongside masterpieces from the 1930s and 1950s, the show features previously unseen works organized into eight sections that trace Escher's career milestones. Highlights include pieces from his Roman period (1923–1935), such as nocturnal scenes and illustrations of ancient Rome like 'Rome (and the Borghese Griffin)', 'San Michele dei Frisoni', and 'Between St. Peter's and the Sistine Chapel'. The exhibition also reconstructs Escher's studio in Baarn, Netherlands, complete with original tools including his portable easel. Escher, born in Leeuwarden in 1898 and died in Hilversum in 1972, refined his illusionistic technique through extensive travels, settling in Rome from 1923. The retrospective runs at Palazzo Bonaparte, offering a comprehensive view of his geometrically impossible constructions that captivate both specialists and the public.