darrelj@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Darrel VanBuer) (11/20/84)
I recently read the novelisation of Castrovalva, and the forward mentions
it's inspired by M. C. Escher's drawing of the same name (I have not had the
opportunity to see the episode yet; locally they just started rerunning
Baker). For those interested, Castrovalva is Figure 104 in Godel, Escher,
Bach, An Eternal Golden Braid, by Douglas Hofstadter. The state in the
later part of the novel evokes images like those in figures 22 and 23 (for me).
--
Darrel J. Van Buer, PhD
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VANBUER@USC-ECL.ARPApercus@acf4.UUCP (11/24/84)
By the way, the word "Castrovalva" seems to come from the
Latin, 'castrum' meaning castle or fort, and 'valva' meaning
doors or a gateway, so it's probably something like
"The way to the castle" which, judging from the picture,
is quite possible.
percus@nyu-acf4chas@ihuxe.UUCP (Charles Lambert) (12/04/84)
> By the way, the word "Castrovalva" seems to come from the > Latin, 'castrum' meaning castle or fort, and 'valva' meaning > doors or a gateway, so it's probably something like > "The way to the castle" which, judging from the picture, > is quite possible. > percus@nyu-acf4 I missed Percus' earlier article, but I guess that the picture referred to is the lithograph "Castrovalva", by the artist and mathematician M. C. Esher. It depicts a group of buidings atop a high cliff, like The Master's creation. Esher was fascinated by illusion, recursion and false perspectives in his art. Some of his drawings (eg. "Relativity", "Above and Below") show buildings where direction, even "up" and "down", makes no sense, and stairways finish up back where they started -- inspiration for the problems the Doctor faced when trying to get out of the place. I'd recommend any Who fans to look at Esher's work; it's definitely trans-dimensional! P.S. Everyone see the doctor-to-be in a recent episode? I hope that's not the only character-type in Colin Baker's repertoire. Chas.