Development III 1939

M.C. Escher made this print called Development III, with ink, and probably a ruler. It’s a mathematical hallucination, but also kind of charming, right? The whole image is made up of tessellated lizards, morphing from geometric shapes in the center, to fully formed creatures at the periphery. Look at the way Escher uses three colors – orange, blue, and black – to create a sense of depth and movement. The choice to use a limited palette feels almost self-imposed, like a set of rules to follow, which adds to the puzzle-like quality of the image. Check out the way the lizards interlock, each one perfectly fitting into the space of the next, as though locked in an infinite evolutionary dance. This kind of visual trickery connects Escher’s work to contemporary Op-art, like Bridget Riley. Both explore the way that perception can be warped by playing with pattern, and repetition. For both artists, ambiguity is the point.