TessellationTessellation

““Tessellation” comes from the old Tessellation” comes from the old Latin word “tessella”, which means Latin word “tessella”, which means “small square” or “tile”.“small square” or “tile”.

TessellationsTessellations

Were created thousands of years agoWere created thousands of years ago People from all around the world People from all around the world

have been making tessellations for have been making tessellations for centuriescenturies

6000 years ago in Mesopotamia6000 years ago in Mesopotamia Designs to decorate floorsDesigns to decorate floors Pebbles to clay mosaic tilesPebbles to clay mosaic tiles

TessellationsTessellations

Mosques and castlesMosques and castles La Alhambra= castle built in La Alhambra= castle built in

Granada, Spain, in the 1300’sGranada, Spain, in the 1300’s Almost every surface of the Almost every surface of the

Alhambra is covered with tessellation Alhambra is covered with tessellation designs made from clay mosaic tilesdesigns made from clay mosaic tiles

La AlhambraLa Alhambra

AlhambraAlhambra

North AmericaNorth America

Homes of early settlersHomes of early settlers Tessellations covering the bedsTessellations covering the beds Reusing fabric, shapes of cloth were Reusing fabric, shapes of cloth were

pieced and sewn to create quiltspieced and sewn to create quilts

QuiltsQuilts

M.C. EscherM.C. Escher

MMaurits aurits CCornelius ornelius EscherEscher ““Father of modern Father of modern

tessellation”tessellation” Born in the NetherlandsBorn in the Netherlands June 17, 1898June 17, 1898

Self-PortraitSelf-Portrait19201920Lithograph on grey paperLithograph on grey paper

M.C. EscherM.C. Escher

Excelled at drawingExcelled at drawing Studied architectureStudied architecture Switched to Switched to

Decorative Arts, Decorative Arts, studying drawing studying drawing and printmakingand printmaking

Hand with Reflecting Sphere Hand with Reflecting Sphere

(Self-Portrait in Spherical Mirror) (Self-Portrait in Spherical Mirror)

1935 ; lithograph1935 ; lithograph

M.C. EscherM.C. Escher

Travelled to Italy and SpainTravelled to Italy and Spain Visited La Alhambra in 1922Visited La Alhambra in 1922 Returned home and began Returned home and began

making his own tessellated making his own tessellated designs of fish, birds and designs of fish, birds and other objectsother objects

His understanding of His understanding of mathematical ideas helped mathematical ideas helped him create different kinds him create different kinds of tessellations with of tessellations with complex designscomplex designs

Tessellation from La Alhambra; Granada, Spain

Tessellations by M.C. Tessellations by M.C. EscherEscher

http://www.mcescher.com/http://www.mcescher.com/

M.C. EscherM.C. Escher

During his life, he became obsessed During his life, he became obsessed with filling a surface (or “plane”) with with filling a surface (or “plane”) with shapes that did not overlap or leave shapes that did not overlap or leave spaces. Aged 68, he stated, "Filling spaces. Aged 68, he stated, "Filling the plane has become a real mania the plane has become a real mania to which I have become addicted and to which I have become addicted and from which I sometimes find it hard from which I sometimes find it hard to tear myself away." to tear myself away."

Retrieved October 17,2008, from http://www.tessellations.org/tess-escher1.htmRetrieved October 17,2008, from http://www.tessellations.org/tess-escher1.htm

Magic Mirror; 1946 lithograph

Drawing Hands; 1948 lithograph

Relativity; 1953 lithograph

Ascending and Descending; 1960,

lithograph

printed from 33 blocks on 6 combined sheets

Retrieved from http://www.mcescher.com/Gallery/gallery-recogn.htm

M.C. Escher

& Tessellation