Escher

Maurits Cornelis Escher (June 17, 1898 – March 27, 1972) was a Dutch graphic artist best known for works that explore infinity, geometry, and paradox. He produced woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints that became famous for their mathematical structure and optical illusion.

Born in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, Escher studied art and began making prints in the 1920s. He traveled in Italy in the early 1920s and later settled in the Netherlands, where he created the bulk of his iconic images. His art frequently features tessellations, repeating patterns of interlocking shapes, often animals such as birds and lizards, arranged to cover a plane without gaps.

Other recurring topics include metamorphosis, transformations that flow from one image to another, and explorations of impossible constructions and recursive perspective. Notable works include Relativity, which depicts multiple gravity-defying staircases; Ascending and Descending, a perpetual staircase; Waterfall, an impossible waterfall; Metamorphosis I-III; and Hand with Reflecting Sphere.

Escher's work has influenced mathematics, computer graphics, and cognitive science, and is widely collected by major museums around the world. A dedicated museum in The Hague, Escher in Het Paleis (Escher in the Palace), preserves and displays a large portion of his oeuvre, illustrating his enduring impact on art and science.