In the row below that, the detailed depictions are reversed: the birds have become a silhouette whilst both the shape and the details of the fish are now fairly realistic. The fish, in turn, have slightly indented heads so that they seamlessly fit inside the flapped-open wings of the birds. Their heads have become pointier, allowing them to slot into the corners of the tail and abdominal fin of the fish. Between the fish, we see three black – and less detailed – ‘flying’ birds. A single dot as eye and the outlines of their bodies are all we need to identify them as fish. horizontally) three-and-half white fish appear. Below them, looking from left to right (i.e. They are flying in the air.Īlthough these four birds are depicted in less detail, they are nevertheless sufficiently detailed to be instantly recognisable as birds. The white space between the four birds beneath them gives the impression that these birds are flying in the foreground. Looking from top to bottom, we see the detailed depiction of the bottom of the three black birds: their feathers and feet are clearly visible. In the centre of the print, we clearly perceive interaction between fish and bird when we extend the section by adding a ‘row’ to the bottom. (To recap: tessellations are “geometric shapes that can become infinitely varied and very complex and still meet the requirement of filling the plane with congruent forms in rhythmic repetition without leaving any ‘void.’*) In this section of Sky and water I, the bird and the fish are shown with the minimum of detail. In the bottom ‘row’ of this fragment, the foreground and background morph into one. However, the space between the birds shrinks as we move further down the print. The white space between the birds higher up in the print seems to suggest that they are flying freely in the air. If – as in the section below – we keep the bottom part of the bird at the very top in view and isolate the next few horizontal rows until almost half-way down the print, we get a clearer picture of what is actually happening: When we look at the birds in the sky, it escapes our attention that the space in between effectively consists of fish. The human brain is not capable of deciphering the foreground as well as the background simultaneously. In both Sky and water I and II, it is to do with identifying the foreground and background. ![]() Where oh where has Escher taken us for a ride? This is where we, the viewer, have to do another double take: yet again, we realise that we are looking at the impossible since birds cannot morph into fish! And yet, this is what our eyes perceive. ![]() Slowly but surely, he invites us to look at a spectacle that at first sight seems plausible, until our conscious mind tells us that it is implausible. That is his way of tricking us and leading us into a false sense of security. And that is how Escher creates order, as well as chaos, in our heads. In the centre of the print, something magical happens. In principle, it appears as though birds are capable of morphing into fish, and vice versa. Our first impression is indeed one of order: birds and fish move in a regimented, chequered routine to the right. ![]() This work is a good example of what Escher famously called creating order from the chaos of everyday life. And yet, it takes some time before we actually see what is happening. ![]() Whichever way we look at it, a transformation is taking place, a change is occurring in front of our very eyes. However, the title suggests otherwise – we ought to look down from the sky onto the water. So, what exactly is happening in this print? My natural inclination is to view the print vertically, from the bottom up, i.e. Let’s start by taking a look at the first version of it – the square woodcut. Escher, Sky and water II, woodcut, December 1938Īs is often the case with Escher, Sky and water is a simple and yet complex story. Escher, Sky and water I, woodcut, June 1938
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