The artwork, titled “Belvedere,” was created by M.C. Escher in 1958. It belongs to the Surrealism movement and is classified within the genre of “capriccio,” which typically involves fantastical and whimsical architectural designs.
“Belvedere” depicts a multi-storied, open-structured pavilion featuring elaborately detailed arches and columns, presenting an architectural impossibility and optical illusion. The pavilion stands in an otherworldly landscape with mountainous backgrounds. Figures are scattered throughout, engaged in various activities, seemingly indifferent to the structural paradox of the building they inhabit. A ladder held by two figures appears to span two separate planes, further enhancing the surreal and perplexing nature of the construction. The checkerboard floor in the foreground contributes to the curious spatial composition, rendering the entire scene a captivating and thought-provoking visual enigma.
