Regular Division of The Plane III 1957

M.C. Escher made this tessellated image, Regular Division of the Plane III, with pen and ink. Can you imagine him working away, crafting this pattern of interlocking knights and horses, each form perfectly nestled within the others? I imagine Escher was interested in the play between positive and negative space. The black knights on their black horses charge into the white knights on white horses. It’s like a dance, a perfectly choreographed ballet between light and shadow, where each element defines the other. I think he would have been excited by the challenge of repeating the image in a way that the figures create a continuous and infinite pattern. Escher's exploration of pattern reflects his broader interest in infinity, mathematical forms, and perceptual illusions, as did many artists of his time. Artists are always in dialogue, aren't they? Sharing and borrowing ideas, pushing the boundaries of what's possible. I see Escher's work as a reminder that art is not just about what we see, but how we see and how we can open up new ways of perceiving the world around us.