Mirror -- Escher's impossible world

Author: Bruno
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: This book depicts the life, work, and understanding of the renowned print artist M.C. Escher in elegant language and exquisite images. Many of Escher's prints originate from paradoxes, illusions, and double meanings. Self-interwoven spirals are a recurring theme in his work. He strived to create complete scenes without regard for their inconsistencies, or to bring together elements that could not coexist. Through this, he created a charming "impossible world." Escher's construction of the "impossible world" was extremely successful, earning him many admirers worldwide, including many famous scientists, such as the Nobel laureate Chen Ning Yang, who greatly admired Escher's art. Once, a woman told me on the phone, "Mr. Escher, I am completely captivated by your work. Your print 'Lizard' depicts the process of rebirth so vividly. I replied, 'Madam, if that's how you see it, then so be it.' This witty and humorous answer came from the famous Dutch print artist Maurits Cornelis Escher. The complex and multi-layered meanings in his works are beyond the reach of hasty and simplistic interpretations. Long before the computer-generated three-dimensional images that stunned the public, Escher was already a master of the third dimension. His lithograph 'The Magic Mirror' dates back to 1946. Bruno Ernst, the mathematician, chose this title for the book to emphasize the magical allure of Escher's work for readers. Over the course of a year, Ernst visited Escher every week and systematically discussed his entire body of work. This discussion led to a friendship and allowed Ernst to intimately engage with Escher's life and conceptual world. Ernst's account is detailed and accurate, and has been reviewed and corrected by the artist himself. Escher's works are impossible to classify. A fair evaluation of them cannot be made solely from scientific, psychological, or aesthetic perspectives. Why did he create these images? How did he construct them? What preliminary research did he conduct before completing the works? What connections exist between the images Escher created? This book, with Escher's life, 250 illustrations, and explanations of numerous mathematical problems, provides answers to such questions. Moreover, this book is based on the most reliable first-hand materials. It has been published in over a dozen languages.