description Smaller and Smaller Overview
Smaller and Smaller is a 1956 woodcut by Dutch artist M. C. Escher. The composition uses a repeating geometric pattern of reptiles that become progressively smaller toward the center, creating the impression of an endlessly receding field within a square format.
It reflects Escher's interest in tessellation, mathematical order, and the visual tension between recognizable figures and abstract spatial structures.
help Smaller and Smaller FAQ
When did M. C. Escher make Smaller and Smaller?
Escher made Smaller and Smaller in 1956. The print uses repeating reptile forms that diminish continuously toward the center of a square composition.
Are the shapes in Smaller and Smaller reptiles or fish?
They are reptile-shaped figures arranged in a regular geometric pattern. The repeated forms interlock like a tessellation while becoming progressively smaller toward the center.
How was Smaller and Smaller printed?
The work combines woodcut and wood engraving techniques and was printed in black and red or red-brown. Museum records describe versions made from multiple blocks, including a four-block color version.
Does Smaller and Smaller actually reach infinity?
The pattern suggests endless recession, but a physical woodblock cannot contain infinitely many details. Escher described the figures as repeatedly halving toward a theoretical center of infinite smallness.
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