What is an Alhambra tessellation?
The tilings in the Alhambra in Spain were laid out by the Moors and by Christian artisans inspired by the Moors’ style in the 14th century. They are made of coloured tiles forming patterns, many truly symmetrical, geometrical and beautiful.
What is the Alhambra and how did it influence Escher’s work?
Escher became fascinated with Islamic art when he visited the Alhambra in 1936. He spent months methodically copying the mosaic patterns in the ceramic tiles that decorate the palaces. These drawings became the inspiration for his life’s work. The tiles have been in place for a 1000 years.
What inspired Escher at the Alhambra in Spain?
Escher revisited Alhambra in 1936 and from all accounts was inspired by The Lion’s Court in particular. Importantly he became fascinated with the patterns that repeated endlessly in a kind of 2D universe and this lead to his obsession with tessellations becoming known as the Father of Tessellations.
When did Escher become famous?
Escher’s mature style emerged after 1937 in a series of prints that combined meticulous realism with enigmatic optical illusions. Working in lithograph, wood engraving, and woodcut, he portrayed with great technical virtuosity impossible architectural spaces and unexpected metamorphoses of one object into another.
What are tessellated patterns?
A pattern of shapes that fit perfectly together! A Tessellation (or Tiling) is when we cover a surface with a pattern of flat shapes so that there are no overlaps or gaps.
What is tessellated pattern where is it used?
Such tilings may be decorative patterns, or may have functions such as providing durable and water-resistant pavement, floor or wall coverings. Historically, tessellations were used in Ancient Rome and in Islamic art such as in the Moroccan architecture and decorative geometric tiling of the Alhambra palace.
What are the symmetries of this tessellation?
This tessellation has no symmetries besides translations. We can choose any part of the tiling and note that nearby we will find copies of that specific pattern which repeats itself. There is almost reflectional symmetry, but the under and over crossings prevent there from being true mirror lines.
Can You Make your own tessellation art?
If you’re interested in the concept of shapes and patterns repeating to infinity, you don’t have to be a math genius or even a graphic designer to make your own tessellation art. For instance, you can be handy and use a flat surface like paper, in order to produce slide symmetry as complex as you want it to be.
How did Escher use tessellations in his art?
His use of tessellations in art pieces, the practice of using regular patterns that divide the plane, without his knowledge in mathematics and its principles beyond secondary school, fascinates still today. Left: M.C.Esher – Sky Water / Right: M.C.Escher – Butterflies.
What are the different types of tilings in tessellation?
There are many different types of tilings and the easiest way to show some differences is to look at the orders of rotation. In general we can have no rotation, 2-fold rotation, 3-fold rotation,4-fold rotation, or 6-fold rotation. No Rotation This tessellation has no symmetries besides translations.