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

The Genius of M.C. EscherMathematics is the central ingredient in many art plant. While notions of infinity and parallel lines brought perspective to the fastidious realm in creating realistic representations of depth and dimension, mathematics has influenced art in a more definite way by actually becoming art. The penetration 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. Eschers 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 courtly engineer. A terrible student in high school, young Escher spent much of his free time drawing and sketching. His early interest in art, on with the wishes of his father, inf luenced 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 play along 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 1920s in search of novel inspiration, which he found in the abundant Moorish tilings there. It was also during this time that Eschers mathematical influences took shape, as he empathize Polyas 1924 paper on plane symmetry groups. Despite his mathematical inadequacies, Escher was able to understand and reproduce the 17 plane symmetry groups as expound by Polya (M. C. Es... ...y, M.C. Eschers 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 eleg antly demonstrated the distinguishable 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 CitedEscher Centennial Celebration. WWW http//www.iproject.com/escher/escher100.html. 16 October 1999.Goode, Stephen. The workman who Sketched out a Geometry of Imagination. Insight on the News 23 March 1998 39.M.C. Escher Artist or Mathematician? WWW http//library.advanced.org/11750. 16 October 1999.Totally Tessellated. WWW http//library.advanced.org/16661. 17 October 1999.