Famous Art for the Pandemic – & Life
Update 03 July 2025: This post was initially published during the 2020/2021 COVID pandemic. As an art history professor, world traveler and lover of great art and art museums, I set out to connect famous art with what was going on in the world around us. First posted on Face Book, it moved into the creation of this website. Click here for additional postings on a Year in the Life of the Pandemic.
“Waterfall”
M.C. Escher, 1961, Dutch
Graphic art; Surrealism
Life in Perpetual Motion
Amidst the COVID pandemic, life today seems to be in perpetual motion, continuous, unceasing: the election, the pandemic, social distancing, wearing masks, the weather . . . life just seems to flow along with no real beginning and no real end . . . with a waterfall plunked in here and there, only to start the same flow over again.
“Waterfall” Perpetual Motion
This week, I decided to showcase one of my favorite pieces by M. C. Escher. “Waterfall” portrays a perpetual motion machine where water from the base of the waterfall appears to run downhill along the water path before reaching the top of the waterfall to begin again. There is no beginning, no end. It strangely reminds of me of life right now during the worldwide pandemic; no real beginning, no real end…with a waterfall plunked in here and there, only to start the same flow again. I love Escher’s work as it causes me to look, to think, and always to be amazed.
Escher’s Art
Escher made mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs and mezzotints in the mid-20th century in styles of Op art, Surrealism, Expressionism, Realism, Cubism and Modern. They are always fascinating . . .and they always cause me look, think and be amazed. And they provide a break in Life’s Perpetual Motion!
Favorite Escher
Below I’ve included some of my favorite works by Escher. For further discovery, just Google search Artworks by Escher–and prepare to look, to think, and to be amazed!
Drawing Hands
“Drawing Hands” is one of his most famous and shows Escher’s common use of paradox.
Another example of our lives today which often seem to combine contradictory features or qualities.
Bond of Union
“Bond of Union” – and you thought your head was spinning!
Relatively Lattice
This intriguing concept is known as the Penrose stairs or Penrose steps (also dubbed the impossible staircase), is an impossible object created by Oscar Reutersvärd in 1937 and later made popular by Lionel Penrose and his son Roger Penrose, expanded here by Escher. Check out the various routes up and down the stairs–and what awaits on each of the landings!
Hand with Reflecting Sphere
“Hand with Reflecting Sphere” is a Escher Self-portrait. (I’ve tried drawing self-portraits looking in a mirror; this takes it to a whole new level!)
ARMCHAIR TRAVEL TIPS: No obvious travel tips today other than the view from your armchair! Watch for situations and advertising that parodies off of Escher’s work in film, television, video games, music and more. Once you recognize his style, you will find you cannot escape it in the world!
If you enjoyed this post – or Escher’s art! – please let me know with a simple “LIKE” in the box below! Thanks! ~Cher
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