M.C. Escher
Artwork Using Multiple
Perspectives
Maurits Cornelis Escher
• MC Escher (Maurits Cornelis), Dutch, 18981972, 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.
• Escher developed a unique series of
drawings after visiting Alhambra, the 14thcentury 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.
• 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.
• 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 neverending cycle of visual impossibility.
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.