New MC on the scene? Reggaeton toaster? Maybe a forgotten artist in the Island Records back catalogue?

Actually, M.C. Escher was none of these - he was in fact one of the greatest illustrators of all time, and he was probably singlehandedly more responsible for bending minds through his art than any other.

Who was he? MC Escher’s full name was Mauritz Cornelis Escher. He was Dutch and he was a mathematically precise artist whose work has gone on to inspire many others.

If he were still with us, today would be his 114^th birthday. He’s no longer with us, but his art endures as a testament to his uncanny ability to create illustrations which turned our usual sense of dimensions on its head.

Take, for example, his ‘Drawing Hands’ – an absolute marvel of twisted perception that creates a scenario that couldn’t ever exist in reality, but somehow makes visual sense.

Another great example of his exact mathematical ability are his tiled illustrations, which take images of fish, birds, horses and other animals and morph them from one to the other in an interlocking grid.

Mindblowing? Most definitely!

He may no longer be with us, but his art continues to inspire others, among them perspective artists like chalk pastel pavement painter Julian Beever, perception artist Regina Silviera (see image below) and 3D artist Nagai Hideyuki.

P.s: for a 3D take on Escher’s famous ‘Waterfall’, check this video out: