Square Limit

1962–1964

Operations and cancelled lectures

In 1962 Escher underwent an urgent operation and spent a long time in hospital — a planned series of lectures in North America was cancelled and he stopped working for a time. In 1964 he went to Canada again to see his son and give lectures, but almost at once he had to have an operation in Toronto and returned to Europe; his health then declined, and by the late 1960s he needed constant care.

1965

The Hilversum cultural prize

In 1965 Escher received the Hilversum art prize; the same year Caroline MacGillavry published her book “Symmetry Aspects of M. C. Escher’s Periodic Drawings”.

1966–1967

“Scientific American” discovers Escher

Escher’s fame among scientists and the general public grew after Martin Gardner featured him in his April 1966 “Mathematical Games” column in “Scientific American”; the magazine’s October 1967 issue carried a separate article on his work.