Knots
1965
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
woodcut in black and green
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Seymour and Iris Schwartz Collection
Accession Number
1981.80.34
Art Historical Context
**Knots** (1965) is a captivating woodcut by Dutch artist M.C. Escher1898–1972), a master of optical illusions and mathematical precision. Created late in his career, this print exemplifies Escher's lifelong fascination with tessellations, impossible geometries, and the interplay of form and space. Printed in stark black and green, *Knots* features interlocking ribbon-like bands that twist into an intricate, seemingly endless knot, challenging viewers' perceptions of reality and continuity. Escher's woodcut technique shines here, demanding meticulous carving of wooden blocks to achieve the cr...
About the Artist
M.C. Escher
Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) was a Dutch graphic artist renowned for his mathematically-inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints featuring impossible constructions, tessellations, and explorations of infinity. Though he considered himself lacking in mathematical ability, Escher's work demonstrates profound intuitive understanding of geometry, symmetry, and spatial paradox. A transform...