In mosques, where a wealth of these geometric patterns could be found, one could contemplate the infinite nature of God simply by looking at the walls or ceiling. Islamic artists mastered regular division of plane using, in particular, circles on triangular or square grids, because the circle – which has no beginning and no end and thus symbolizes infinity – was considered to be the most perfect geometric form. Tessellations are one of the major components of Islamic art. These patterns may be seen as symbolizing the Islamic principles of ‘Tawhid’ (the unity of all things) and ‘Mizan’ (order and balance), which are the laws of creation in Islam.”(9) “Muslim intellectuals recognized in geometry the unifying intermediary between the material and the spiritual world. Hence, Islamic artists used geometry as an aid to raise their spiritual understanding as well as the viewer’s: In Islamic art, the spiritual world is regarded as being reflected in nature through geometry and rhythm.
This article will explore the intimate relationship between Islamic art and Escher’s work, in particular the significance of themes with “flat surfaces” and “flat surfaces with respect to pictorial representations.” Brief summary of Escher's artĮscher produced 448 lithographs, woodcuts, and wood engravings and over 2000 drawings and sketches during his lifetime (1). He was fascinated and inspired by the spiritual significance of the tile work at the palace, and Islamic patterns played a key role in transforming his art (5). In fact, Escher’s 1922 visit to the Alhambra Palace in Spain was the turning point in his life. One can even use Islamic art and tessellation techniques to generate Escher-like drawings. A person who is familiar with Islamic art immediately notices the deep connection between Escher’s transformational geometry and tessellations, and that of Islamic patterns. Tessellation of a plane, also called tiling, is the mosaic formed by filling the plane with no gaps and no overlaps. Escher, a professor of geology, in solving crystallography problems (4). For example, some of his sketches helped his half-brother B.G. Escher has also inspired scientists in their academic studies. Escher’s rendering of “Horseman” was used by Chen Ning Yang, a physicist and Nobel Prize winner, to illustrate his new hypothesis involving symmetry and its application to quantum physics (3). In 1952, Herman Weyl, a Princeton mathematician, used Escher’s famous work “Symmetry” for his book cover.
Lewis indicates that Escher’s prints entail a systematic approach combined with an ingenious argument similar to the most beautiful results in algebra. Furthermore, respected scientists have realized that his works are simple illustrations of sophisticated theories (2). At the same time, they exhibit a rich and artistic talent unrivaled by most. His exquisite and mind boggling pictures are drawn from the mathematical world of symmetry, topology, transformational geometry, and regular divisions of the plane. Currently, one can see his work on posters, book covers, calendars, wall hangings, and many web sites enjoyed by millions of people all over the world (1). “Ascending and Descending”) and transformation prints (e.g. Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898–1972) is one of the world’s most famous graphic artists of impossible structures (e.g.
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