The Magic of M.C. Escher - Hardcover

Locher, J.L

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0500975914 ISBN 13: 9780500975916

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2000

Synopsis

For the artist Escher, the skin of the visible world was a piece of cloth that could be cut, folded, shaped, and rearranged in many ways. This title presents many of Esher's greatest works, from the great master prints to numerous previously unpublished drawings, and arranges them to form a cinematic journey of discovery. His preparatory sketches and jottings, which give insights into the working processes of his mind are also included.

About this title

Review

M.C. Escher, the artist who lived from 1898-1972, suffers from horrible over-exposure. Who hasn't seen the posters, postcards, t-shirts and coffee mugs, of such well-worn images as a hand drawing another hand or gothic buildings with never-ending staircases? The mass reproduction of these images has carved a firm place in our popular culture yet made the work dismissible as modern art. Beyond the familiar images, though, is an immense body of work. The Magic of M.C. Escher covers in depth the graphic illustrations, woodcuts and lithographs of Escher's career.

Escher has always attracted the attention of scientists, mathematicians and teenage boys everywhere. The popular 1980s game of Dungeons and Dragons seems to borrow heavily from the systematic yet mystical quality of Escher's drawing style. With his amazingly repetitive graphic illustration and unflinchingly control of size, shape and shading, Escher draws like a human computer. One can only wonder what he might have done with today's graphic tools.

The book itself is creatively put together, with fold-outs, seemingly endless images and a loving introduction by the director of the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague. The minimal text selections that appear throughout are quotes from Escher himself, many taken from letters to family members. The personal thoughts give candid insight into what he thought about his peers, his career and his work; "I really do feel these days like a kind of 'specialist', and I don't want to 'depend' on my speciality alone, but I also feel it to be my duty to devote myself to that as much as possible". This remarkable book is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the astounding work of the man who could create two-dimensional origami with a pencil. 196 pages, images on every page. --JP Cohen

Review

`Allow yourself time to look at this book because Escher's tangles and mind games demand hours of staring and puzzlement. A fantastic collection'
-- The Observer

Edition details

• Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0500975914
• ISBN 13: 9780500975916
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 198