You might have thought these iconic works were simply highly detailed drawings, but their technique is actually much more complex. Are you familiar with lithography? 

Currently, the Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) is hosting a retrospective exhibition dedicated to the artist Maurits Cornelis Escher. The Dutchman achieved considerable success in the graphic arts, notably thanks to his infinitely repeating forms. At the height of his career, Escher rethought artistic creation by exploring tessellations and geometric paradoxes, paving the way for a second reality. Among his works on display are "Metamorphosis II" (1939-40), one of his best-known pieces, "Hand with Reflecting Sphere" (1935), a work of great technical skill, and "Cascade" (1961), one of the most beautiful trompe-l'oeil paintings. In just eight sections, the exhibition immerses us in the heart of his life, from his early drawings to his graphic achievements.  

Section 1 – 2:

MC Escher studied at the Haarlem School of Architecture and Decorative Arts, where he discovered a variety of relief printing techniques such as:  

• Wood engraving: Wood engraving is a process in which the design is engraved in negative and reversed on a block of wood, so that only the unengraved areas of the original surface receive the ink and are transferred to the paper.
• Linocut: a technique of engraving on a specific material, linoleum. 
• Lithography: Lithography is a flat printing technique for a drawing made on a limestone slab using oily substances. It is a rigorous and lengthy process that requires the artist to draw in reverse on the stone. 

In the early stages of his artistic career, he was drawn to naturalistic subjects, captivated by the precision and power of their forms. The artist lived for several years in Italy, where he drew inspiration from the Italian landscapes to refine his techniques. His first major success was a work composed of six woodcuts dedicated to the "days of God's Creation." 

Section 3 – 4: 

Each work he creates is rich with its own unique story. His travels deeply nourish his imagination, which he uses to interpret reality. From his trips to the Alhambra in Granada, he draws inspiration from the buildings' ornamental motifs, even mastering their paving techniques. Paving is a method that gave rise to cycles and trompe-l'oeil effects, allowing an element to be transformed into a form other than its original one. He makes this mathematical technique his defining characteristic. His finest works belong to this period. 

• Metamorphosis II (1939-40): in a circular universe a lizard can gradually become a beehive cell or a fish can transform into a bird, which in turn transforms into a cube, then into a roof,…
• Day and Night (1938): He creates worlds in which antithetical principles interact but are capable of interacting. 

Section 5 – 6: 

From the 50s onward, he focused on mathematics and geometry, particularly spheres and solids. He became interested in paradoxes and mathematical rules, eventually creating one of his most remarkable works: "Hand with the Reflecting Ball." This is neither a painting nor an engraving, but a drawing printed onto a sheet of paper from a stone using the lithographic method. In a near-improvement, he managed to draw a transparent sphere upside down, which changes the viewer's perception when focused on its center. 

Section 7 – 8: 

He gained popularity among scientists and mathematicians, as well as in society at large. Hippies transformed his designs into psychedelic symbols, while some artists—singers, designers, advertisers, and filmmakers—drew inspiration from Escher's key references to create unique visual effects. The secret lies in the visual power of his works, as intriguing as they are disconcerting in their surrealism. 

M.C. Escher explores the intersection of art and science. Driven by an insatiable thirst for experimentation, he defies the boundaries of reality through the techniques of lithography and engraving. His art is inherently interactive, prompting reflection and questioning the origins of its paradoxes. In response, the exhibition is designed to provide the most educational and immersive experience possible. Installations exploring the relativity between reality and scale, and those that distort perception, will be presented directly to visitors. 

Paris Mint Museum, 
11 Quai de Conti, Paris 6th

Until March 1, 2026