Scarabs

1935

M.C. Escher

Associated Names
M.C. Escher

Artist, Dutch, 1898 - 1972

This is a drawing of two dung beetles rolling a ball. The image depicts two beetles, illustrated in a monochromatic style, engaging in the behavior of rolling a dung ball. The beetles are detailed with a stippling technique, highlighting their glossy and segmented bodies. The background features a pattern suggestive of rough terrain or soil, with variations in shading that create depth. The beetles' legs are active, showcasing movement and the workings of nature.
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    wood engraving

  • Credit Line

    Seymour and Iris Schwartz Collection

  • Dimensions

    image: 18.1 × 24.13 cm (7 1/8 × 9 1/2 in.)
    sheet: 24.77 × 32.39 cm (9 3/4 × 12 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1981.80.3

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Bool 1981, no. 273

Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

2015

  • The Worlds of M.C. Escher: Nature, Science, and Imagination, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, 2015.

Bibliography

1981

  • Bool, F.H. et al. M.C. Escher: His Life and Complete Graphic Work. Amsterdam: Meulenhoff, 1981; English-language edition, New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1982.

Inscriptions

upper right, in block: 4-'35 MCE; lower left, in pencil: MCEscher

Wikidata ID

Q74037869

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