M.c. escher sky and water print

Even though Escher produced more than prints of Day and night , Sky and water I is undoubtedly his most famous work and the one that is most widely known to the general public. This square woodcut — depicting fish transforming into birds — can be seen on posters, mug, bedspreads and sometimes even in advertising campaigns. Publicising everything from cars to Escher exhibitions, such as the two exhibitions that were held in the Spanish city of Granada in As is often the case with Escher, Sky and water is a simple and yet complex story.

So, what exactly is happening in this print? My natural inclination is to view the print vertically, from the bottom up, i.

Hand with reflecting sphere

However, the title suggests otherwise — we ought to look down from the sky onto the water. Whichever way we look at it, a transformation is taking place, a change is occurring in front of our very eyes. And yet, it takes some time before we actually see what is happening. This work is a good example of what Escher famously called creating order from the chaos of everyday life.

Our first impression is indeed one of order: birds and fish move in a regimented, chequered routine to the right.

Day and night m.c. escher

In principle, it appears as though birds are capable of morphing into fish, and vice versa. This creates a sense of bewilderment. In the centre of the print, something magical happens. And that is how Escher creates order, as well as chaos, in our heads. That is his way of tricking us and leading us into a false sense of security.