While wandering around Amalfi and exploring abandoned mills, I stumbled upon a trail that led me up the hill past vineyards and lemon gardens to the Torre Ziro. From the tower, a wonderful view opened up over Atrani and the bell tower of the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena. I photographed this view for my archive, not knowing when I would encounter it again.
About a year later, I found myself in the Escher Museum in The Hague and came across the 1931 lithograph “Atrani, Coast of Amalfi”, featuring the familiar view. I was struck by how perfectly the composition and perspective lines matched my own frame. I became fascinated with comparing the old depiction with my photograph in detail.
Combining the two images, I realized that one was a continuation of the other. It suggested that Escher may have seen this view through optics similar to mine when he created his lithograph!
And although the decades have changed the outlines of Atrani slightly, the intricate geometry of the streets, staircases, and houses with little balconies that so captured the imagination of the Master at the time have remained the same.
Original Lithograph, by M. C. Escher:
