Penrose triangle
Oscar Reutersvärd; independently Lionel & Roger Penrose
Three convincing corners. One impossible connection.
Impossible objects / 2025 drawing
Impossible quadrilateral
Four beams appear to close into an impossible loop.
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
Vectorization: Mrmw
Original file & attribution · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Download imageFrequently asked questions
What is Impossible quadrilateral?
Four beams appear to close into an impossible loop.
What should I look for in Impossible quadrilateral?
View larger, then trace one connected edge all the way through the object. Compare the local joins with the whole shape.
What explains Impossible quadrilateral?
Track a face of a beam around all four corners. Returning to the starting point reveals that the implied orientations and depth connections cannot all agree.
Another way to see it
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Impossible cube
M. C. Escher; modern redraw by 4C and Belbury
A familiar cube frame acquires an impossible set of overlaps.
