Eye (b./k./l./w. 344)
A highly detailed and technically precise print depicting a large, realistically rendered human eye that stares directly at the viewer with an unsettling intensity. Within the reflection of the pupil, Escher has embedded a tiny human skull, transforming the eye into a mirror of mortality and self-reflection. The work exemplifies Escher's mastery of meticulous detail and his fascination with perception, illusion, and the contemplation of death.
- Location
- Sotheby's, New York, NY
- Spotted At
- Auction House · Sotheby'sView on map
🔨 Auction Lot
Prints & Multiples Day Sale
April 30, 2019
Estimate: $30,000 to $50,000
Lot 87
Artists in conversation
Salvador Dalí
Spanish · b. 1904
Dalí frequently incorporated hyper realistic anatomical detail and surrealist symbolism including eyes and skulls as metaphors for mortality and perception, sharing Escher's precise technical rendering combined with deeply unsettling psychological imagery.
Octavio Ocampo
Mexican · b. 1943
Ocampo specializes in metamorphic optical illusions where hidden figures and symbols are embedded within larger detailed portraits, directly mirroring Escher's technique of concealing a skull within the reflection of a realistically rendered eye.
Vladimir Kush
Russian · b. 1965
Kush creates meticulous figurative works that blend surrealist symbolism with photorealistic detail, often embedding layered meanings and reflective imagery within biological or anatomical subjects in a manner closely aligned with Escher's contemplative and technically precise approach.
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