M.C. Escher (1898-1972) was a well known surrealist artist who worked primarily with lithographs and woodcuts. Although the "macabre" association may not immediately come to mind when one views Escher's works, keep in mind that it was rare for artists to gain respect in the genres of abstract and surrealist art during his time. In our current time of mass media consumption and rapidly changing environment, we are much more used to seeing images and learning about ideas that are foreign to us.
In Escher's time, his work of impossible landscapes and improbable perspectives were jarring to many people. Thus it seems reasonable to accept that Escher's work could have been perceived by many of his generation as tending toward the darker side of artistic expression.