Artist M. C. Escher

Name

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nArtist “M. C. Escher”

nIntroduction

nMaurits Cornelius Escher lived between 1898 and 1972. He worked on prints and drawings. Escher produced artistic works that have remained the most popular graphic art over the years (Locker, 11). He produced brain-teasing prints using transforming creatures, interlocking shapes and incredible architectures to challenge the viewers perception. His artistic works were expression of what he described as a deep interest of laws of geometric that is found in nature (Schattschneider, Doris, and Michele, (eds), 13). Escher crafted fine compositions that combined precise practicality with fantastic explorations of perspective, pattern and space. He succeeded in producing woodcut illustrations for a booklet Easter Flowers. Besides he printed St Francis Preaching to the Birds and had one-man exhibition in Holland.

nEschers work represents great facets of his conceptual art where he produced pictures to represents infinity. In the image, Circle limit III, each circle of fishes presents unlimited circumference of the sphere in an infinitely diminishing series (Escher, 29). He also represents unusual space through the woodcut Snakes. In the portrait the snakes heads off into infinity both towards the centre and towards the rim of the circle as represented by interlocking and shrinking rings (Locker, 23). These two portraits indicate that some one cannot reach the centre of the space or the edges of space.

nEschers arts represent a great interest in visual aspects of topology. This is a branch of mathematic which looks at the properties of space which are unchanged by whoever bend or stretch it. For example through Mobius Strip II, Escher represents strange objects through topology (Escher, 13). However, Escher developed pictures beyond the mere topological constraints devised by mathematicians.

nEschers art represent disturbing image such as the lithograph Still life with reflecting Globe. This piece of art show a metallic bird man standing on a newspaper that rests on a book suspended in a dark void. The bird man reflects artist work that is terrifying and projects threatening features (Escher, 15). In addition, the pictures show an artist sitting at his desk but trapped within a spherical bottle that represents alchemy – speculative art (Locker, 22). This form of metaphysical work requires contemplation on our predicament as being trapped within our personal subjective world.

nThe Eight Heads include Eschers hallmark because the picture plane has divisions that challenges the normal perspective habits of brain and eyes. In 1929, Escher made his first lithograph and in 1931 he made wood-engraving. This means that engraving with burns on an end-grain block (Locker, 20). He also perfected the art to realise his vision through meticulous practice and study. He made conventional landscape entitled Castrovalva in his lithograph in 1930 (Escher, 67). Through Castrovalva, he presses fascinating power that illustrates Eschers full mastery of composition and tone. In addition, Castrovalva portrays a terrifying landscape with threatening qualities (Schattschneider, Doris, and Michele, (eds), 23). Besides strange feature in the pictures landscape present a deep perspective of nature that is precisely depicted in art.

nIn his Reptile lithography produced in 1943, Escher demonstrates his remarkable artistic feature. On the drawing board of this lithography there are three shades of alligators closed into a hexagonal grid (Schattschneider, Doris, and Michele, (eds), 40). Moreover, this drawing produces naturalistic drawings, which are designed in three dimensional illusions. They are a realistically drawn objects depicting reality in nature. The lithograph has two lizards entering and leaving tessellated plane. Besides, it contains snorting fire and tiny alligator on the dodecahedron (Escher, 18). Therefore, this indicates that the picture is imaginative since it presents the relationship between three and two dimensional geometry.

nEscher was not a trained mathematician; however, his artistic work represents a great interest in geometry. In Eschers art there is a great feature of logic of space because he applied regular divisions of the plane using geometric qualities (Schattschneider, Doris, and Michele, (eds), 53). However, his art is not only a geometrical presentation but the fine production of viewers perspectives (Locker, 33). In this regard, his work represent uniqueness and fascinating pieces of art that exhibit and explore a wide range of mathematics ideas (Escher, 63). The pictures he has produced represent extraordinary visualisation of mathematical principles.

nThis has contributed to his art to appear not only on imitative sculptures on public buildings but in printed forms and in decorations on neckties and mouse pads (Escher, 39). He has also remarkable “impossible” figures which represent intriguing work of art. Therefore, Escher art represent two crucial factors, logic of space and geometric of space.

nTessellations are regular divisions of the plane which contains arrangements of closed shapes that fully cover the plane without leaving gaps or overlapping. In most cases polygons or other structures such as square tiles makes up tessellations such as those normally used in floors (Locker, 44). Escher applies fascinating pieces of tessellations that have both irregular and regular shapes (Escher, 40). The shapes in Eschers work change and interact with each other and in most cases break free of the plane itself. For instance, in the picture titled Regular Division of the Plane Birds, he used regular tessellations with triangles (Schattschneider, Doris, and Michele, (eds), 33). In addition, the picture Development I utilises tessellations made of squares. His work is used to emphasize the nature of the underlying pattern which represents an orderly world rather than chaotic world.

nOne of the most popular features of Eschers work is the Puzzle picture. This show incredible architectural construction based on the visual ability to translate from a three dimensional image or two dimensional interpretation. For instance, Penrose triangle uses the rectangular faces of a solid triangle (Locker, 69). In Eschers Waterfall, the system of waterwheel and channels create a continuous motion of machine that the mind thinks it is impossible (Escher, 59). This is because water cannot move uphill but the drawing shows it is possible. In the Waterfall, two Penrose triangles have been integrated into one impossible figure. Escher uses logic of space in this picture. The waterfall is a closed system but it turns the wheel continuously just like a machine in perpetual motion does (Schattschneider, Doris, and Michele, (eds), 09). Moreover, his piece of art violates the law of energy since there is no power to propel the water against forces of gravity.

nEscher prints have the ability to evoke mystical thought and usual artistic response to a precise art without causing optical illusions. For instance, Puddle, three block woodcut evokes mystical thought through its aesthetic features. In the portrait The Puddle, it shows cloudless evening sky (Escher, 11). In addition, it presents a recent shower that have left woodland path. It also indicates a foggy ground represented by tracks of two motor vehicles, two pedestrians and two bicycles.

nFurthermore, Escher art captures the concept of self-reference which lies near the heart of enigma of consciousness. This represents the ability of the brain to process information that the computer has not been able to do (Schattschneider, Doris, and Michele, (eds), 09). In the lithograph Drawing Hand, the hands draw themselves in similar manner and mysteriously constructs and considers themselves (Locker, 30). This represents the concept of self-reference in Eschers art. In picture Fish and Scales, Escher shows the theory of self-resemblance. The woodcut explains that organisms are built from small copies of themselves, in an information-theoretic sense.

nThis represents that organisms are built in just the same way for every cell of their bodies conveys comprehensive information in form of DNA. This concept is further manifested in the lithograph Three Sphere II. This image applies reflective properties of a spherical mirror (Schattschneider, Doris, and Michele, (eds), 98). The image shows that every part of the world has the ability to contain and be contained by every other part.

nConclusion

nIn conclusion, after a lifetime of commitment to his fascinating and unique art, M.C. Escher achieved success in both artistic and great admiration from mathematic and scientific communities. His legacy is enshrined in his great lithography that he established. His crafted images tease the mind in a way that is inviting and comfortable. To celebrate his work, many international agencies have conducted exhibitions of his most popular art. For instance, the National Gallery of Art and New York Times have conducted exhibitions in honour of his craftsmanship.

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nWorks cited

nEscher, M. C. M.C. Escher The Graphic Work. 1st ed. Köln: Taschen, 2008. Print.

nLocker, J. L. “The magic of MC Escher.” Harry N. Abrams (2000). Print

nSchattschneider, Doris, and Michele Emmer, eds. MC Escher’s Legacy: A Centennial Celebration: Collection of Articles Coming from the MC Escher Centennial Conference, Rome, 1998. Springer, 2005.Print