Circle Limit III Museum Desk Paperweight – Escher Fish Tessellation Glass Dome 3W

Museum Desk Paperweight with Escher’s Circle Limit III (Fish Tessellation)

This eye-catching museum desk paperweight features M.C. Escher’s famous fish tessellation from Circle Limit III. Light and dark fish interlock in a circular pattern, swimming toward the center and shrinking as they go. The result is a hypnotic design that feels both precise and fluid.

Beneath the smooth glass dome, the repeating fish forms and crisp outlines are gently magnified. The curved surface emphasizes the sense of depth and motion, as if the fish are sliding along an invisible current. This museum art paperweight adds a touch of geometry and playfulness to any desk, bookshelf, or study space.

Each paperweight comes in an elegant, sateen-lined presentation box, ready for gift giving. It is an ideal present for engineers, mathematicians, designers, students, and anyone who enjoys visual puzzles or Escher’s unique approach to pattern. As part of the Parastone Museum Gift Collection, it turns a classic print into a small object you can handle and ponder every day.

• Glass dome glass desk paperweight with Escher’s fish tessellation from Circle Limit III.
• Interlocking fish arranged in a circular, seemingly infinite pattern.
• Measures approx. 3 in W × 3 in L × 1.5 in H.
• Weight about 0.9 lbs, ideal for daily desk use.
• Comes in an elegant presentation box with sateen lining.
• Part of the Parastone Museum Gift Collection. PN PESC1.

About the Artwork: Fish and Infinite Space

In Circle Limit III, Escher explores how a repeating pattern can fill a circular space while appearing to extend outward without end. The fish grow smaller as they approach the edge, echoing ideas from hyperbolic geometry and infinity visualized within a finite frame.

The design balances order and motion: each fish is carefully aligned, yet the group seems to swirl and flow like a school in open water. On this Escher paperweight, the dome shape reinforces that sense of movement, turning the flat tessellation into a compact, almost globe-like illusion.

About the Artist: M.C. Escher (1898–1972)

Maurits Cornelis Escher began his career studying architecture before shifting to graphic arts in Haarlem. His prints bridge the worlds of art and mathematics, using tessellation, symmetry, and impossible perspectives to challenge how we see space.

After 1936, Escher focused increasingly on visual paradoxes, infinite tilings, and transformations. His work has fascinated mathematicians, scientists, and artists for decades. Today, he is one of the most widely recognized printmakers of the twentieth century, and this museum desk paperweight offers a small window into that legacy.

Creating an Escher-Inspired Desk Display

This art desk paperweight pairs beautifully with other Escher-themed pieces to form a cohesive, geometric desk set. You can build a small display that feels playful, intellectual, and a bit mind-bending.

• Explore our full Escher collection: Escher Tessellations Collection
• Add a three-dimensional fish companion piece: Fish Tessellation Sphere Orb by Escher
• Pair with our Angels & Devils paperweight or Snakes paperweight for a mini Escher corner dedicated to infinity and pattern.

Together, these items create a compact gallery of Escher’s most mesmerizing designs, right on your desk or bookshelf.

Curator’s Note

Some viewers see this pattern as purely mathematical; others see a school of fish circling in quiet harmony. That mix of logic and imagination is what makes Escher so beloved. This museum desk paperweight makes a thoughtful gift for anyone who enjoys art that invites a second look—and a third.