Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxe.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!mhuxn!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxe!chas From: chas@ihuxe.UUCP (Charles Lambert) Newsgroups: net.tv.drwho Subject: Re: Castrovalva Message-ID: <976@ihuxe.UUCP> Date: Mon, 3-Dec-84 16:09:03 EST Article-I.D.: ihuxe.976 Posted: Mon Dec 3 16:09:03 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 08:34:45 EST References: <8300004@acf4.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 27 > 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.