M.C. Escher's 'Liberation' (1955) is a lithograph demonstrating tessellation and metamorphosis, as geometric shapes gradually transform into birds taking flight. This print showcases Escher's exploration of infinity, symmetry, and perception.

Maurits Cornelis Escher, the Dutch graphic artist (1898-1972), is celebrated for his mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints. His work explores themes of infinity, symmetry, and the interplay between different dimensions. Escher's art often features impossible constructions, geometric patterns, and transformations of objects into one another. 'Liberation', created in 1955, exemplifies Escher's mastery of tessellation and metamorphosis. The lithograph depicts a gradual transformation of geometric shapes into birds. At the bottom of the image, triangular forms interlock to create a flat plane. As the eye moves upward, these shapes evolve into increasingly recognisable bird figures, first in black and then in white, until they finally take flight at the top of the composition. The work plays with the viewer's perception, blurring the boundaries between abstraction and representation. The print is presented as if it is a scroll, unrolling to reveal the transformation.