The Graphic Work Of M.c.escher

THE GRAPHIC WORK OF M.C.ESCHER Introduced and explained by the artist BALLANTINE BOOKS - NEW YORK All rights reserved. No part of this book in excess of 500 words, and no illustration, may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publishers. SBN 345-24678-0-595 Printed by TijI B.V., Zwolle, Holland TRANSLATED FROM THE DUTCH BY JOHN E. BRIGHAM © Koninklijke uitgeverij Erven J. J. TijI B.V., Zwolle, Holland, 1960 © American edition Meredith Press. New York Library of Congress Catalogue card no. 61-11940 New, Revised and Expanded Edition published October 1967 This edition published by arrangement with Hawthorn Books Inc. First Printing, August 1971 Ninth Printing, April 1975 Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc. 201 East 50th Street New York, N.Y. 10022 CONTENTS Introduction 5 Reptiles 28 VI. INVERSION Classification and Description 11 Cycle 29 Cube with magic ribbons 55 Biographical notes 16 Encounter 30 Convex and concave 56 Magic mirror 31 Metamorphosis 32 VII. POLYHEDRONS Predestination 33 Double planetoid 57 Mosaic I 34 Tetrahedral planetoid 58 Mosaic II 35 Order and chaos 59 Gravity 60 Stars 61 Flat worms 62 I. EARLY PRINTS Tower of Babel 1 Castrovalva 2 Palm 3 Portrait G. A. Escher 4 Fluorescent sea 5 III. UNLIMITED SPACES St. Peter’s, Rome 6 Three intersecting planes Dream 7 II. REGULAR DIVISION OF A PLANE Horseman 8 Swans 9 36 Cubic space-division 37 Depth 38 IV. SPATIAL RINGS AND SPIRALS VIII. RELATIVITIES Another world 63 Knots 39 High and low 64 Moebius strip I 40 Curl-up 65 Moebius strip II 41 House of stairs 66 13 Spirals 42 Relativity 67 14 Sphere spirals 43 Liberation 15 Concentric rinds 44 IX. CONFLICT FLAT-SPATIAL Development I 16 Rind 45 Three spheres I 68 Verbum 17 Bond of union 46 Drawing hands 69 Smaller and smaller 18 Balcony 70 Path of life II 19 Doric columns 71 Sphere surface with fishes 20 Whirlpools Print gallery 72 Dragon 73 Two intersecting planes 10 Day and night 11 Sun and moon 12 Sky and water I Sky and water II V. MIRROR IMAGES Rippled surface 47 21 Three worlds 48 Circle limit I 22 Puddle 49 Circle limit III 23 Still life with reflecting globe 50 Circle limit IV 24 Hand with reflecting globe 51 Square limit 25 Three spheres II 52 Pishes and scales 26 Dewdrop <