Born in 1898 in the Netherlands, Maurits Cornelis Escher was a student who had a rough time when it came to school. He obsessed over architecture and the arts, but it wasn’t until he failed his high school exams that his father enrolled him in a school where he could study what he loved. When a graphic arts professor there discovered Escher’s talents for developing art that centered on everyday architecture yet went beyond the boundaries of reality, he urged him to continue his work – and so began an era of design we’ve never forgotten.

The upside-down winding staircases, the view of one object from several angles, the upward flowing water, and the hands drawing one another – what Escher created during his years living in Italy and the decades afterward would provide art lovers with trip after trip into the dreamy world of make-believe. Over the years his fantastical art emerged, ranging from lithographs, woodcuts, and wood engravings to sketches and drawings. Before his death in 1972, he had become one of the world’s most famous graphic artists, having created nearly 2,500 pieces.

But perhaps one of his most amazing contributions was his ability to combine math and science with the world of art. Escher focused on reflection, balance, and impossible spaces, but hidden within his work are the elements of mathematics, measurement, and architecture. For these reasons, we’re proud to offer you a variety of his most famous prints - sketches and drawings that leave you staring for hours and wondering how any artist could have such a perfect balance of science and creativity in his mind.