The Infinite World of M.C. Escher

In the extraordinary world of M. C. Escher time, space, and visual reality have been rearranged according to Escher's own ingenious logic—simultaneity of perspective is commonplace, infinity is the average achievement, positive and negative are interchangeable, and fascination is the result.
For many years Escher's wood engravings and lithographs were prized by only a select few. Scientists and mathematicians marveled at his logic and precision, and often used his prints to illustrate their theses. Collectors were charmed by his wit and uncanny ability to create surrealistic worlds that delight the imagination and fool the eye. Today, however, his work is so familiar that it approaches the level of mass production—from record-album covers to posters to textile prints to wallpaper. Escher's mesmerizing juxtapositions of light and dark in complex self-perpetuating patterns satisfy both modern man's fascination with the surreal and his need for order and balance.
This volume explores the diversified appeal of Escher's prints and includes an essay, "Approaches to Infinity," by the Dutch-born Escher himself, as well as an essay on Escher's work by J. L. Locher, Curator of the Modern Art Department at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague.
Eight colorplates have been included among the 184 illustrations that afford the student, scholar, and enthusiast a comprehensive view of Escher's total work—art that is at once technically astounding and intellectually compelling.