Penrose triangle
Oscar Reutersvärd; independently Lionel & Roger Penrose
Three convincing corners. One impossible connection.
Impossible objects / 2014 drawing
Axonometric staircase
A staircase looks convincing until you follow its joins.
TRY THIS
View larger, then trace one connected edge all the way through the object. Compare the local joins with the whole shape.
THE IMAGE IN THIS ARCHIVE
Nevit Dilmen (talk)
Original file & attribution · CC BY-SA 3.0
Original image downloaded from Wikimedia Commons; the downloaded file is unchanged. Gallery previews may be resized or converted to WebP; animated previews show the first frame.
Download imageFrequently asked questions
What is Axonometric staircase?
A staircase looks convincing until you follow its joins.
What should I look for in Axonometric staircase?
View larger, then trace one connected edge all the way through the object. Compare the local joins with the whole shape.
What explains Axonometric staircase?
Trace the treads and supports through the axonometric drawing. The view makes adjacent parts plausible while concealing contradictory connections.
Another way to see it
Explore this category
Impossible cube
M. C. Escher; modern redraw by 4C and Belbury
A familiar cube frame acquires an impossible set of overlaps.
