Agnes Scott College

Doris Schattschneider

Visions of Symmetry: Notebooks, Periodic Drawings, and Related Works of M. C. Escher
W.H. Freeman and Company, 1990

cover

From the book cover

Visions of Symmetry journeys into the unique, enigmatic world of M. C. Escher. The book combines two of the artist's previously unavailable notebooks with the complete body of his symmetrical drawings (over 400 illustrations in all, nearly 180 never before published until this book). Profound insights and new levels of perception are found throughout as Doris Schattschneider explores the passion for symmetry that dominates Escher's art.

Based on more than fifteen years of research, Visions of Symmetry is a fascinating introduction to Escher and the artistic vision that has intrigued and captivated the world.

Contents

  1. The Route to Regular Division
    Early signs. The fascination of regular division of the plan. An important journey. The open gate. The geometric rules. Developing a "layman's theory." Sources that came too late. Other experiments in regular division.
     
  2. The 1941-1942 Notebooks
    The 1941-1942 notebooks. Escher's theory in relation to mathematical and crystallographic classification. Escher and the scientists on contrast and color.
     
  3. The Regular Division Drawings
    From theory to the periodic drawing. The folio notebooks of periodic drawings.
     
  4. The Use of Regular Division
    The periodic drawing as sources. Capturing infinity. Metaphor and metamorphosis. Escher's decorative use of regular division of the plane. The use of Escher's work on regular division by others.
     
  5. Notes on the Drawings