The Magic of M.C. Escher

By J.L. Locher,

Book cover of The Magic of M.C. Escher

Book description

As beautiful and rigorous as an Escher work itself, this book is the classic study of a great maverick who so memorably linked the world of imagemaking with geometry and paradox. Escher's works, from the great master prints to numerous drawings, are brilliantly arranged to form a cinematic journey of…


Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

2 authors picked The Magic of M.C. Escher as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

For me, this book was a real education. It provided insight into how the greatest artists strive to break the rules and find interest in juxtapositioning different versions of reality and fantasy.  The perfect summation, to me, of what Escher strived to do is communicated in this quote, “My topics are often playful too. I cannot stop fiddling around with our incontestable certainty. It is a pleasure, for example, to deliberately mingle two- and three-dimensions, flat and spatial and to poke fun at gravity.” One of the main takeaways from this book is to always strive to reimagine reality, break…

"Are you really sure that a floor can’t also be a ceiling?"

Escher was a master of graphic art, design and visual deception. His playful sleight of hand with perspective has intrigued and delighted me since I was a boy. This book shows not only his myriad of artworks but also his working drawings that give an insight into his mathematical mastery of geometry, which gained him the title of ‘the father of modern tessellations’.

From Paul's list on beautiful draughtmanship.

Want books like The Magic of M.C. Escher?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 27 books like The Magic of M.C. Escher.

Browse books like The Magic of M.C. Escher

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in art, magic, and the Netherlands?

Art 907 books
Magic 28 books
The Netherlands 86 books