M.C. Escher

1. M.C. Escher Artwork Using Multiple Perspectives

3. Maurits Cornelis Escher • MC Escher (Maurits Cornelis), Dutch, 1898-1972, is a master of graphic arts and the optical illusion. His work also displays a kind of hyper-realism, where all parts of the picture are in tight focus, from close up to far away.

5. Escher developed a unique series of drawings after visiting Alhambra, the 14th-century fortress and palace in Granada, Spain. • This architectural gem is a huge insight into the famous drawings and prints that depict architectural believable but impossible spaces.

8. There are archways that seem to lead up, yet lead back to where they started. There are beautiful reflecting pools that create the natural illusion of a mirror.

9. It was the inspiration of Alhambra that started a series of artworks that Escher called the Regular Division of the Plane. In these masterful works, Escher creates memorable and stunning works of optical illusion. In this work entitled, Waterfall, try to follow the path of the water in the architecture of the building. The water falls down and then follows a man-made channel up, only to fall again, in a never-ending cycle of visual impossibility.

11. Why it’s Important • While certain schools of art history may not teach Escher as a great artist, his popularity gives him enormous educational leverage to teach topics such as photo-realism, hyper realism, lithography, illustration, and surrealism.