Selected artwork of
M.C. Escher
- Biography -
Maurits Cornelis Escher was born June 17th, 1898, in Leewarden, Holland.
By age 16 he had made his first cut linoleum print.
In 1919 he enrolled at The School for Architecture and Decorative Arts in Holland.
After seeing his drawings, his teacher encouraged him to continue in that style of art and not architecture.
In 1922 Escher moved to Italy where he met and eventually married a woman originally from Switzerland, Jetta Umiker.
In 1935 the Escher family moved to Switzerland. Around 1938 Escher began 'drawing more from the mind' and less from still life (realism).
The term 'impossible figure' became attributed to some of these works.
By the 1950's Escher was quite popular not only in art circles, but strangely amongst scientists and mathematicians as well.
He gave many lectures around the world to both artistic and scientific audiences.
The first book of Escher prints was published in 1960 and included descriptions of 76 works by Escher himself.
By the late 1960's Escher's health was failing, but he continued working as much as he could.
His final print 'Snakes' (1969) shows no signs of ill-health and is actually one of the most intricate and detailed works he ever made.
Escher died at the age of 73 surrounded by family and friends.
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