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M.C. Escher's Stunning Bird and Fish Illusions

Jul 30, 2026 Jeffrey
an advertisement for pimpyrd's film, featuring fish in the ocean
an advertisement for pimpyrd's film, featuring fish in the ocean

When the Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher discovered fish, birds, and tessellations, he didn't just see them as they were; he saw patterns, possibilities, and paradoxes just waiting to be explored. Escher's interpretations of these subjects, notably in his "Birds and Fish" series, are not merely pictures of these creatures but mathematical and visual homages that continue to captivate and intrigue the world.

an advertisement for pimpyrd's film, featuring fish in the ocean
an advertisement for pimpyrd's film, featuring fish in the ocean

Born in 1898, Escher had a unique perspective, defined by his travels across Europe and Africa. His visits to the Alhambra in Granada, for instance, where he marveled at the intricate Moorish designs, significantly influenced his work. Here, fishing birds and fish became more than just subjects; they became symbols of connectivity and harmony, embodying geometric principles that fascinated him.

an orange and white painting with fish on it's back side, in the middle of a group of smaller red birds
an orange and white painting with fish on it's back side, in the middle of a group of smaller red birds

The "Birds and Fish" Series

The "Birds and Fish" series, started in the 1930s, is one of Escher's most iconic bodies of work. It depicts seabirds diving into water, disturbing the surface, and fish swimming beneath, creating ripples that interact with the birds above. Escher's approach was not just to illustrate these interactions but to explore them through complex patterns and tessellations.

ART is my second name
ART is my second name

The series is marked by rhythmic repetition and intricate transformations, with fish and birds interchanging places in repeated geometric motifs. Escher used techniques like woodcut and lithography to bring his designs to life, often using stark contrast and bold lines to emphasize the clever play between his subjects.

Tessellations: Patterns within Patterns

black and white artwork with fish on it
black and white artwork with fish on it

Escher's work delves deep into tessellations, geometric patterns derived from a single or repeated shape. In his "Birds and Fish" series, these tessellations showcase an incredible harmony between regular and semi-regular tiling systems. The fish and birds are not just the subjects; they are also the patterns, transformed into each other through the rigidity of the tessellation.

Consider "Fish and Birds" (1951). The geometric framework here is aàlia, a six-hedron or six-pointed star, where each point is reflected into another across the square grid. The birds and fish, in their repeated forms, are the very lines of this geometric pattern, embodying it, and being embodied by it.

The Paradox of Perspective

a line drawing of fish swimming in the ocean
a line drawing of fish swimming in the ocean

Escher's work is also a continuous play with perspective. He often flouts the conventional single-point perspective, instead conflating planes and dimensions. In "Up and Down" (1947), part of the "Birds and Fish" series, birds are both swimming in the water and ‘diving’ from above. Fish move in and out of the plane, sometimes above the surface, sometimes below.

This defiance of conventional perspective showcases Escher's treatment of reality. He doesn't simply illustrate; he problematizes, challenging our assumptions about how we perceive the world. This paradoxical representation, rooted in mathematical and visual principles, gives air of mystery to his work, inviting viewers to engage and interrogate.

Legacy and Influence

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972), Sky and Water II (B. 308) | Christie's
Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972), Sky and Water II (B. 308) | Christie's

Escher's "Birds and Fish" series has left a profound mark on art, design, mathematics, and science. His innovative use of geometric patterns and tessellations influenced generations of artists, and his paradoxical perspective remains a focal point in debates about representation and reality.

In the mathematical field of crystallography, for instance, Escher's work ignited interest in semiregular tilings. His designs, notably the 'V Erichsen' pattern, influenced further mathematical explorations of periodic patterns and their visualization. His legacy continues to inspire, from Escher fan art to mathematical modeling, and from architecture to computer graphics.

a flock of birds flying over a body of water with fish swimming in it's mouth
a flock of birds flying over a body of water with fish swimming in it's mouth
an old book with fish on it and the words felictass 1956 written below
an old book with fish on it and the words felictass 1956 written below
an old black and white drawing of birds flying in the sky with trees behind them
an old black and white drawing of birds flying in the sky with trees behind them
a flock of birds flying in the air over water with fish swimming around them, vintage line drawing or engraving illustration
a flock of birds flying in the air over water with fish swimming around them, vintage line drawing or engraving illustration
a flock of birds flying over a body of water with fish swimming in it's mouth
a flock of birds flying over a body of water with fish swimming in it's mouth

The world Escher created in his "Birds and Fish" series, a world where patterns embody each other and perspective becomes fluid, fortifies our admiration for his extraordinary vision. It's a vision that continues to engage, challenge, and inspire. The M.C. Escher Society, founded in 1967, and the numerous exhibitions held worldwide in his honor stand testament to this continuing fascination. Indeed, the legacy of Escher's "Birds and Fish" series is not just about the art, but about the creative, mathematical, and philosophical journey it takes us on.