The Genius of M.C. Escher Essay -- Biography

The Genius of M.C. Escher Mathematics is the central ingredient in many artworks. While notions of infinity and parallel lines brought â€Å"perspective† to the artistic realm in creating realistic representations of depth and dimension, mathematics has influenced art in a more definite way – by actually becoming art. The introduction of fractal geometry and tessellations as creative works spawned the creation of new and innovative genres of art, which can be exemplified through the works of M.C Escher. Escher’s pieces are among the most recognized works of art today. While visually stimulating and deeply meaningful, his art reflects many ideas of mathematics through geometry, symmetry, and patterns. Maurits Cornelius Escher was born on June 17th, 1898 in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, the son of a civil engineer. A terrible student in high school, young Escher spent much of his free time drawing and sketching. His early interest in art, along with the wishes of his father, influenced his decision to attend the School of Architecture and Decorative Arts in Haarlem. At age 21, however, M.C. dropped out after two years of study to pursue independent work in the arts. Throughout a ten-year period, Escher traveled around Italy sketching impressions. Finding little success and on the verge of poverty, Escher ventured to Spain in the late 1920’s in search of novel inspiration, which he found in the abundant Moorish tilings there. It was also during this time that Escher’s mathematical influences took shape, as he read Polya’s 1924 paper on plane symmetry groups. Despite his mathematical inadequacies, Escher was able to understand and reproduce the 17 plane symmetry groups as described by Polya (M. C. Es... ...y, M.C. Escher’s artworks are among the most widely recognized. His timeless and intriguing pieces drive thousands of admirers to his exhibitions around the world. Incorporating numerous mathematical concepts into his works, he elegantly demonstrated the distinct art and math relationship. Escher died on March 27th, 1972. However, his legacy lives on, along with controversy surrounding the question: was Escher an artist or mathematician? Works Cited â€Å"Escher Centennial Celebration.† [WWW] http://www.iproject.com/escher/escher100.html. 16 October 1999. Goode, Stephen. â€Å"The Artist who Sketched out a Geometry of Imagination.† Insight on the News 23 March 1998: 39. â€Å"M.C. Escher: Artist or Mathematician?† [WWW] http://library.advanced.org/11750. 16 October 1999. â€Å"Totally Tessellated.† [WWW] http://library.advanced.org/16661. 17 October 1999.