The magic mirror of M.C. Escher

by Bruno Ernst

Art, Biography, Maurits Cornelis Escher, Dutch, Graphic Artist

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Biography, Reference, Art History, Design, Mathematics

111 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've owned this book for a long time, but had bought it originally only for the pictures of the artwork. Finally I decided to read it. It's not a biography, though it does contain some biographical information. It's primarily an analysis of Escher's work, and it's a very thorough one.The author actually knew Escher, so some of the things he says about what Escher was trying to do in various works are ideas he actually discussed with Escher. I found some of the analyses of individual works a bit tedious, but they did help me see things I hadn't noticed before, so it felt worth wading through them. Anyone who's a fan of Escher's art should definitely read this.

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qui abbiamo più testo, la "teoria" dietro l'immagine, o, meglio, la spiegazione, lo studio... comunque interessante e capace di nutrire la vista. :)

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

To my knowledge this is the definitive Escher book. Detailed illustrations of his drawings, with lengthy explanation of the art and mathematics behind them. Good for the casual read or for anyone interested in that style of art (wherever Escher fits, I just assume there must be some kind of style). Worth checking out if you like his art.

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love his work. Each drawing is meticulous and a mental challenge of perspective and metaphor. The explanations help to explain what he did and why.

[Ed Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although not in the top rank of artists, Escher had a vision that was quite unique to him, and one with which art history doesn't quite know what to do. This is one of the reasons that I dislike trying to create exact hierarchies of "important artists", at least unless it is with an acknowledgement that this is a highly flawed pursuit.

Proust remarked something to the effect that each artist brings a world into existence; if you are an explorer, you do not want to limit your worlds.

Ernst clearly lays out a set of themes that informs Escher's oervre. Although a well-trained draftsman, and a highly skilled woodcutter and printmaker, Escher deliberately sought to make his themes, puzzles, toys, or wonders paramount, so that his figures and other features, in playing a subservient role to his underlying idea, could often be a bit stiff or awkward. In other works though, his designs have a great deal of beauty.

The book gives a lot of very helpful background to the development of his ideas, with copious illustrations of his studies and his planning diagrams.

[Minifig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escher es uno de los artistas cuyo trabajo más me gusta e interesa, quizá porque es menos artístico y más matemático que cualquier otro. En todo caso, este libro me es de especial interés.

El libro hace un breve recorrido por la biografía de Escher para, después, hablar de su obra marcando periodos y los temas que quería explorar.

El libro está, obviamente, plagado de grabados e ilustraciones del artista pero, también (y esto es lo que hace a Escher un autor tan especial), de esquemas geométricos y explicaciones que describen las matemáticas detrás de dichos trabajos y a las que Escher había llegado mediante su intuición gráfica, pues siempre había tenido dificultades con la matemática formal.

Una de las particularidades del libro es que se basa en una serie de entrevistas semanales que el autor del libro mantuvo con el mismo Escher, quien leyó y corrigió los borradores, de manera que las explicaciones del libro acerca de las intenciones de Escher no son interpretaciones, sino que han sido confirmadas por el mismo artista.

[Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Magic Mirror is a fascinating narrative of Escher’s life and work, written by a mathematician who criticized his work at first, but became an admirer and friend of Escher after that. Bruno Ernst tells us about Escher’s youth, his failed schooling, the time he spent in Italy, Switzerland and back in the Netherlands, his work in chronological order and the math behind his masterpieces.

[Mckinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great drawings

[Rod]

excellent author and artist

[Jg · Rating 4 out of 5]

fabulous

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure it's comprehensive but included the best known work of this amazing artist.

[Jon Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read my personal copy of this book, which I have in paperback. It is an oversized book, 9" x 12", which is a good thing since it is lavishly illustrated with Escher's complicated art work. I have no recollection of how or when I acquired my copy - normally I will note these facts on a book's inside cover when I buy it. I suspect I purchased it at a used book store or used book sale, since my edition was published in 1994 and I know this thing hasn't been sitting on my shelves for that long. Anywho, on to the book itself: it is part biography of Escher, part catalogue of his vast array of work, and part detailed analysis of many of his art pieces. The author Bruno Ernst was a teacher of mathematics and physics, so he is in an excellent position to provide comprehensible explanations of the mathematical underpinnings of Escher's complicated creations. I have always enjoyed Escher's work, but have never researched is width and depth. No need - this book has that and more. Apparently the author enjoyed a personal relationship with Escher in his later years, corresponding with the artist and interviewing him, and that connection gives us a peek inside the heart and mind of the artist, and into the painstaking planning that preceded many of his works. Escher was not a mathematician but had an intuitive way of seeing mathematical relations in the world around him. The author's analysis of the mathematical side of some of Escher's works are pretty involved, but if you aren't so inclined, skip over them and enjoy the rest. Four out of five stars.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't remember how this ended up on my SOUB but it's mind-blowing -- if you're a mathematician. I'm not so it's mostly just beyond my reach -- and my level of interest. It could have been better organized, too. More often than not, the detailed explanation of a work was on a different page than the work itself, requiring so much page-turning I usually gave up before the explanation sunk in. But this is obviously an important book to the serious Escher fan, so I guess I'll keep it until I can hand it off to one.

[Roberto Iori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eccellente raccolta delle opere e dei pensieri dell’artista, tra i miei preferiti.
Ho letto già svariate cose su di lui, questa è molto curata ed attendibile anche se talvolta l’analisi delle opere è fin troppo arzigogolata e, nella maggior parte dei casi, le illustrazioni sono nella pagina successiva rispetto alla descrizione. (Cosa che mi ha in realtà parecchio infastidito e motivo principale delle 4 stelle)
Speravo di trovare qualcosa di più sulla sua vita e sul suo percorso personale ma probabilmente la sua vita è stata tutta molto incentrata sugli studi per le sue opere.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very detailed and well-structured analysis of Escher's work with lots of biographical details and anecdotes. Overall, I would say that this book does a good job of capturing what makes Escher's art so great and magical.

Personally, some of the explanations felt a bit shallow and not too concise. Whenever the author tries to let the viewer roam around Escher's prints, his "lyrical writing" can feel a bit contrived and long.

Despite this, I would still definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Escher's art.

[Augustus · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoy the mind-boggling images of the Dutch artist Maurits Escher, you will appreciate this richly illustrated book. The book recites the artist's long residence in Italy and various other influences on his life. The author occasionally gets a bit academic when discussing mathematical aspects of the works, but a reader can enjoy the book for its numerous well produced images in any case. Escher's perspectives are unique, and his ascending and descending staircases should intrigue any intelligent reader.

[Henrich Wulfe · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's really weird that I didn't like this book because I am absolutely gaga over the first two books in this series. Both were 5 star reads. But while those felt powerful and deeply moving, this one was repetitive to me and I found myself rolling my eyes.

Maybe this book caught me in a bitchy time, but this third book felt convoluted and fake to me. Maybe I'll reread it in the future and see if I just have a case of the crankies or something....

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Magic Mirror of M.C. Escher" is a fascinating book that delves into the mind-bending and intricate works of the renowned artist M.C. Escher. It explores his mastery of optical illusions, tessellations, and impossible perspectives. This book provides a deeper understanding of Escher's creative process and the mathematical principles behind his mesmerizing art. It's a captivating journey into the surreal and thought-provoking world of M.C. Escher. 📚🎨✨

[Melissa Tevlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Purchased book online, thinking was going to be full of Escher pictures. Received and discovered was a technical book playing out in minute detail how someone with an artist mind might be able to duplicate. Unless you have an artist's mind to see out of the ordinary scope of reality, may leave you scratching your head.

[Nathalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

To my knowledge this is the definitive Escher book. Detailed illustrations of his drawings, with lengthy explanation of the art and mathematics behind them. Good for the casual read or for anyone interested in that style of art (wherever Escher fits, I just assume there must be some kind of style). Worth checking out if you like his art.

[Goagil Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

To my knowledge this is the definitive Escher book. Detailed illustrations of his drawings, with lengthy explanation of the art and mathematics behind them. Good for the casual read or for anyone interested in that style of art (wherever Escher fits, I just assume there must be some kind of style). Worth checking out if you like his art.

[Braeden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book, nice colored representations of Escher's prints, too. The layout of the text and images itself could have used some work: lots of referring to a figure that wasn't on the same or adjacent pages. Felt as if the layout and the final print/size of the book were two separate decisions. Apart from that, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it.

[Hayley Puryear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took this with me on a train ride down to the south of England. In a weird way, it was a therapeutic read. The illustrations alone are worthy of the high praise and if you're wanting detailed analysis of the visual work, it is there in boatloads.

[Eva Berná · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encantó la claridad con la que explican la metodología de Escher a la hora de crear e inspirarse en sus grabados, y también los detalles sobre los mismos. Una lectura muy amena e interesante para conocer de manera más íntima a este artista

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The plot had a perfect balance of mystery, romance, and adventure, which kept me eagerly turning the pages. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, there was a twist that took me by surprise. The pacing was impeccable.

[Everson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Master of perspective.

[翰林院编修]

魔镜——埃舍尔的不可能世界
8.5 (48人评价) 布鲁诺·恩斯特 / 田松 / 上海科技教育出版社 / 2014
有一次，一位妇女在电话里对我说：“埃舍尔先生，我对您的作品完全着了迷，您的版画《蜥蜴》把轮回再生的过程描绘得那么生动

[Deb O rah · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautiful book, very technical

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I can't stop thinking about this story! It's been days since I finished it, and I'm still in awe of the brilliant storytelling and richly developed characters."

[Niko Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written.