Coupole en Contre Plongée

Peter Paul

German printmaker Peter Paul was known for his nearly surreal architectural imagery, often focusing on singular elements executed in soft, neutral tones, their edges disappearing into the sheet’s edges like a vignetted portrait. He would often choose to depict unexpected angles and would obscure the image with the use of draughtsman's grids and notes, or create a three dimensionality that made the composition lift itself off of the paper.

In “Couple en Contre Plongee,” translating loosely to “cupola from a low angle,” Paul captures the view of a ceiling from inside of a cathedral or state house, looking up. It takes a moment for the viewer to gain their bearings, as if merging into Escher territory. A plume of shadow blossoms off the side, from which emerges notes in elegant script; and midway down the sheet Paul has drawn a tear through the image, lending a sudden finality to the scene.