Design for Wrapping-paper: De Bijenkorf 1933

This wrapping paper design by M.C. Escher is a symphony of black and white, with the words 'De Bijenkorf' arranged in a tessellated puzzle. Imagine Escher, carefully carving each letter, each shape, into the linoleum block. What was he thinking about as he worked to create this branded paper? Was he envisioning the gifts wrapped inside, or simply lost in the rhythm of the repetition? Look at how the letters fit together! The text becomes texture, the brand, an overall surface design. Escher wasn’t just making wrapping paper, he was transforming language into pattern, elevating the mundane into something visually complex. The way the words lock together reminds me of his more famous tessellations, but here the math has a playful, commercial twist. It is a fascinating thing to consider how artists are always borrowing and building on one another’s ideas across time.