For me, one of the most remarkable presentations of illusionistic reflection in modern art is a drawing from 1935.
Who was the author of the drawing? M.C. Escher, one of the most illusionistic artist-genius, sketcher, and illustrator of all times. In 1935 he drew a „Hand with Reflecting Sphere.” I love to analyze this artwork and stare straight into the eyes of the author. Moreover, we can observe the workshop of the famous Dutch illustrator. This drawing reminds me of the magical, ancient theory about the correlation between our planet and Moon. What is this theory? It tells about a metaphysical, illusionistic reflection.
The inventor of this theory was Aristotle.
The famous Greek astronomer and philosopher had taught that the Moon was not only a perfect sphere. He stated that the features on the „face” of our nearest celestial neighbor reflected Earth. Isn’t this theory charming? The best thing is that this theory was broadly accepted until Galileo Galilei made one discovery. When he started to use a telescope made by German-Dutch Hans Lippershey, he realized that the Moon was a separate world in its own right.
The science spoiled somehow the theory about illusionistic reflection.
I love to read and trying to be in the ancients’ shoes and imagine how they were explaining, feeling, and understanding their surroundings. Undoubtedly, I like also to read Taschen’s books, like the one about M.C. Escher. All these activities provide me incentives, thanks to which I can transform via my inner experiences and thoughts. Then, I can write them down on my virtual paper. How magical it would be for us to take a telescope and see ourselves. That is our divine, celestial, cosmic image.
Still, the fact is that Moon does not provide us an illusionistic reflection. Instead, Earth’s daughter or sister appeared after a giant impact between primordial proto-Earth and Theia, a planetary embryo. It is one of the main theories explaining how the Moon appeared. The world is beautiful. I love such theories. Still, I think that we can never find out how Moon arose in the Solar System.
