This particular artwork by M.C. Escher (Maurits Cornelis Escher) was first printed in the year 1951 in black and white.

It depicts an interior of a very tall structure full of stairs and doorways with 46 creatures crawling up and down the stairs. These creatures were created by the artist and were called “Wentelteefje“. 

The theme here is the defying of logic due to the many impossibilities in this art if it were inspected closely.

About the artist:

M.C. Escher was born 17th June 1898, in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. He drew inspiration from nature: insects, landscapes and plants. He traveled through Italy and Spain, sketching buildings and architecture.

He studied in the Haarlem School of Architecture and Decorative Arts and received a Knighthood of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Though he is most famous for creating art of “impossible constructions”, he also worked on more realistic art during his time traveling and living in Italy.

During his lifetime, he made 448 lithographs, woodcuts and wood engravings and over 2000 drawings and sketches.