Art, art and more art: museums of Den Haag

Portrait of Escher from the Nationaal Archief NL via Wikimedia Commons

Back in 2019 an exhibition catalogue of M.C. Escher works inspired me to write about the Alhambra in Granada. Escher is in my thoughts again as we approach the 50th anniversary of his death on 27 March, and I am reminded of a happy visit with my family ten years ago to the Escher museum in The Hague, Escher in Het Paleis. 2022 is a significant date for other museums in The Hague as well, and so this gives me the excuse to look in more detail at the wealth of art and museums in the Dutch capital, relating it to books in the UL.

The Escher museum is housed in the 18th century Lange Voorhout Palace which belonged to members of the Dutch Royal family for almost 150 years. It is now owned by the city and has been home to the Escher exhibition since 2002.

The Alhambra: its visitors and its influence

We recently added to our catalogue Escher & schatten uit de islam, a catalogue of an exhibition held a few years ago at the Escher in Het Paleis museum in The Hague. This demonstrates well the influence of Islamic art on M.C. Escher. He was undoubtedly inspired by two visits he made in 1922 and 1936 to the Alhambra, the palace complex built at Granada by Spain’s last Muslim rulers. The images below show detailed sketches he made during his trips. Escher was not the first person to be impressed by the wonders of the Alhambra; this post looks at some earlier travellers to the fortress and their related work.