M.C. Escher & The Natural World

This comprehensive collection includes more than 150 original works of the Dutch artist covering his entire artistic career.

Through this unique curatorial approach, natural history museums are invited to exhibit their specimens in a dialogue with Escher’s works, showing how this wonderful world was seen through his eyes.

M.C. Escher’s relationship with the natural world evolved noticeably throughout his life, shifting from early, realistic depictions of landscapes to the abstract, mathematically driven works for which he is now known. What began as direct observation—most strongly inspired by the Italian countryside—gradually developed into a visual language where natural and geometric forms merged. Animals, plants, and other organic elements became essential components of his tessellations, his shifting perspectives, and his explorations of metamorphosis.

Escher drew significant inspiration from nature, approaching it with a sense of awe and meticulous curiosity. In his early years, he immersed himself in sketching landscapes and natural forms, carefully studying insects and flowers and noticing details others tended to overlook. These early observations formed the foundation of his later artistic thinking.

His connection to the natural world first became clear through his detailed studies. Many of the insects he examined with such precision—ants, bees, mantises—later reappeared in his more complex prints. The intensity of these detailed studies reveals how deeply natural observation influenced the evolution of his imagination.

This influence grew even stronger during his travels, especially through his encounters with Italian landscapes. His experiences in Italy shaped much of his early work. Rather than producing literal or photographic reproductions, Escher pieced together motifs from different locations to capture the essence of a place. These early interpretations of Italian landscapes foreshadowed the spatial reorganizations that later defined his mature style.

Nature also guided his thinking through his ongoing fascination with reflections. He was drawn to the layered worlds revealed in water, muddy puddles, and curved surfaces. His print Three Worlds (1955) exemplifies this interest, merging the fish beneath the surface, the leaves floating on top, and the reflected trees above. These reflections allowed Escher to unify multiple visual realities in a single composition.

We live in a world of one-hit wonders. It’s easy to see this in music, but the same phenomenon exists in art: an artist becomes known for a single idea and is often expected to repeat it endlessly. Some try to escape the confinement, others accept it. But very few artists create multiple iconic images that remain in our collective memory for decades. Escher is one of those rare exceptions. It can even be argued that he produced some of his finest work late in life, without the tragic narrative that often enhances artistic reputation.

Escher never appeared concerned with the idea of being a one-hit wonder. Instead, he remained dedicated to pushing his imagination a step further with every new work. His lifelong fascination with science—particularly geometry—blended naturally with his deep curiosity about the natural world. He followed mathematical ideas, studied spirals, and explored the patterns that emerge from scientific representation. At the same time, he was captivated by birds, insects, and broader ecological systems. He read widely; Rachel Carson’s The Sea Around Us was one of his favorite books. Works like Sky and Water reveal his early understanding of the interconnectedness of nature, a concept far ahead of its time in 1938.

The works in this collection, centered on natural history, science, and zoology, are arranged chronologically and invite scientific discussion. Together, they show how Escher’s relationship with nature shaped not only his themes but also the structure of his artistic vision—from early observation to the mathematically inspired, transformative language that became uniquely his own.