Can Art Teach Us About Relativity and Reality?
The Genius in M.C. Escher’s Art
M. C. Escher, known for his blending of figures and shapes, often used mathematical forms and concepts in his art.
His seamless application of what is impossible in nature is unequaled. To the average person, his unique perspective may seem overwhelming.
His work Relativity, a lithographic piece completed at the end of 1953, upset the traditional interpretation of gravitational position. What is up? What is down? Who knows. Surely not the people within the piece.
In an almost cyclic nature, the viewer can become lost in the maze of staircases and landings. Escher’s use of arches and keystones creates the illusion of groin vaults and balconies.
Escher employed shading with incredible finesse to illustrate depth within this composition. Without it, we would not have a true perspective of the illusion of 3-D.
The stairs seem to jut forth from the page, begging the viewer to take a step. The question arises as to which direction you would be walking.
Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity states that space and time are connected on a continuum, much like this piece of art. This continuum is often depicted in 3-D and time is seen as the fourth dimension. This…
