Relativity lattice 1953

M.C. Escher pulled this image, 'Relativity Lattice,' out of thin air somehow, through a careful build-up of fine lines in ink on paper. I wonder what it was like to be Escher, mapping out this mad world of impossible staircases. Imagine him sitting at his desk, squinting, moving his pen so precisely to create the illusion of gravity constantly shifting. It’s a tricky thing to picture, because how did he conceive of this world in the first place? Was it a flash of inspiration, or did it emerge slowly as he worked? The texture created by all those lines is so dense, it makes the image feel almost tactile. Each figure seems caught in their own private loop. Escher's not afraid to mess with your head. And you realize, that’s what art can do: turn reality on its head and make you see the world in a totally new way.