--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was in Cambridge reading…" description: "\"When I was in Cambridge reading mathematics, I went to Amsterdam for the International Mathematics Congress. There I saw M.C. Escher's fascinating work..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12d/roger-penrose-10729_drawing_when-i-was-in-cambridge-reading-mathemat_1481282.jpg" --- # When I was in Cambridge reading mathematics, I went to… ![“When I was in Cambridge reading mathematics, I went to Amsterdam for the International Mathematics Congress. There I saw M.C. Escher's fascinating work. That inspired me to try my hand at drawing such impossibilities.” quote by Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12d/roger-penrose-10729_drawing_when-i-was-in-cambridge-reading-mathemat_1481282.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12d/roger-penrose-10729_drawing_when-i-was-in-cambridge-reading-mathemat_1481282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12d/roger-penrose-10729_drawing_when-i-was-in-cambridge-reading-mathemat_1481282.jpg) > “When I was in Cambridge reading mathematics, I went to Amsterdam for the International Mathematics Congress. There I saw M.C. Escher's fascinating work. That inspired me to try my hand at drawing such impossibilities.” [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encountering Escher’s art sparked curiosity, leading to experimentation with visual paradoxes and creative problem solving. **In simple terms:** Art inspired mathematical curiosity. Key Takeaway Explore interdisciplinary inspiration. Themes creativity interdisciplinary curiosity Mood inquisitive inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - design work - education - personal hobbies Key Concepts art mathematics visual perception Questions to Reflect On - What visual paradox intrigues you most? - How can you apply artistic insight to your field? A Different Perspective Not all artistic ideas translate into practical applications. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drawing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing/) [Drawing Impossibilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing-impossibilities-5399638/) [Escher Fascinating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escher-fascinating-5399637/) [International Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international-mathematics-5399639/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Mathematics Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics-congress-5399636/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Reading Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-mathematics-2425315/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I was fortunate to grow up in a middle-class home with two hardworking parents who enjoyed both reading and mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-a-hrabowski-iii/i-was-fortunate-to-grow-up-in-a-middle-class-home-with-two/) [Freeman A. Hrabowski III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-a-hrabowski-iii/) > [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/) [Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/) > [In 'Gran Torino,' Eastwood moves towards the climax of the movie not by staging a shoot-out, but by putting his weapons to one side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/in-gran-torino-eastwood-moves-towards-the-climax-of-the-movie-not-by/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Being on a trapeze is like dreaming. I feel totally outside of myself when I'm flying. You know, designing shoes, my imagination is flying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/being-on-a-trapeze-is-like-dreaming-i-feel-totally-outside-of-myself/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [She spent hours drawing on her own, trying to perfect her craft. And when she got into music, she had that same diligence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/she-spent-hours-drawing-on-her-own-trying-to-perfect-her-craft-and/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [Cold calculation, random spots of color, mathematically exact construction (clearly shown or concealed), drawing that is now silent and now strident . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-puccini/cold-calculation-random-spots-of-color-mathematically-exact/) [Giacomo Puccini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-puccini/) > [Keep a bad drawing until by study you have found out why it is bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/keep-a-bad-drawing-until-by-study-you-have-found-out-why-it-is-bad/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [God holds each of us by a string. When we sin, we cut the string. But God ties it up again, making a knot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/god-holds-each-of-us-by-a-string-when-we-sin-we-cut-the-string-but/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [It is the common defect of modern art study. Too many students do not know why they draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-is-the-common-defect-of-modern-art-study-too-many-students-do-not/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) > [My drawing not that goog but alwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowly-fading/my-drawing-not-that-goog-but-alwell/) [Slowly\_fading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slowly-fading/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Roger Penrose > [Ordinary photons do have spin, they have a notion of helicity so they spin around their direction on motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/ordinary-photons-do-have-spin-they-have-a-notion-of-helicity-so-they/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [My father himself was a human geneticist who was recognized for demonstrating that older mothers tend to get more Down syndrome children, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/my-father-himself-was-a-human-geneticist-who-was-recognized-for/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [A computational device is incapable of developing a mind. We got consciousness not just by being clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/a-computational-device-is-incapable-of-developing-a-mind-we-got/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [It is hard to see how one could begin to develop a quantum-theoretical description of brain action when one might well have to regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/it-is-hard-to-see-how-one-could-begin-to-develop-a-quantum/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [It may well be there is something else going on in the brain that we don't have an inkling of at the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/it-may-well-be-there-is-something-else-going-on-in-the-brain-that-we/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [As for morality, well that's all tied up with the question of consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/as-for-morality-well-that-s-all-tied-up-with-the-question-of/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [The basic theory in twistor theory is not to add extra dimensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/the-basic-theory-in-twistor-theory-is-not-to-add-extra-dimensions/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [I used to make polyhedra with my father. There were no clear lines between games and toys for children and his professional work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/i-used-to-make-polyhedra-with-my-father-there-were-no-clear-lines/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [In the book, I make the point that here we have string theory and here we have twistor theory and we don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/in-the-book-i-make-the-point-that-here-we-have-string-theory-and-here/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [Some people take the view that we happen by accident. I think that there is something much deeper, of which we have very little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/some-people-take-the-view-that-we-happen-by-accident-i-think-that/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [I'm pretty tenacious when it comes to problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/i-m-pretty-tenacious-when-it-comes-to-problems/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [My older brother is a distinguished theoretical physicist, a fellow of the Royal Society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/my-older-brother-is-a-distinguished-theoretical-physicist-a-fellow-of/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [If you didn't have any conscious beings in the world, there really wouldn't be morality but with consciousness that you have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/if-you-didn-t-have-any-conscious-beings-in-the-world-there-really/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [I believe there is something going on in a conscious being, which includes many animals, as well as ourselves, that is not a computational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/i-believe-there-is-something-going-on-in-a-conscious-being-which/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [What right do we have to claim, as some might, that human beings are the only inhabitants of our planet blessed with an actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/what-right-do-we-have-to-claim-as-some-might-that-human-beings-are/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) [Explore all 63 Roger Penrose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) ## More Drawing quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [My drawing not that goog but alwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowly-fading/my-drawing-not-that-goog-but-alwell/) [Slowly\_fading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slowly-fading/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) > [It is the common defect of modern art study. Too many students do not know why they draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-is-the-common-defect-of-modern-art-study-too-many-students-do-not/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [God holds each of us by a string. When we sin, we cut the string. But God ties it up again, making a knot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/god-holds-each-of-us-by-a-string-when-we-sin-we-cut-the-string-but/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/) [Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/) > [Keep a bad drawing until by study you have found out why it is bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/keep-a-bad-drawing-until-by-study-you-have-found-out-why-it-is-bad/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [Cold calculation, random spots of color, mathematically exact construction (clearly shown or concealed), drawing that is now silent and now strident . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-puccini/cold-calculation-random-spots-of-color-mathematically-exact/) [Giacomo Puccini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-puccini/) > [She spent hours drawing on her own, trying to perfect her craft. And when she got into music, she had that same diligence in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-joplin/she-spent-hours-drawing-on-her-own-trying-to-perfect-her-craft-and/) [Laura Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-joplin/) > [Being on a trapeze is like dreaming. I feel totally outside of myself when I'm flying. You know, designing shoes, my imagination is flying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/being-on-a-trapeze-is-like-dreaming-i-feel-totally-outside-of-myself/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [In 'Gran Torino,' Eastwood moves towards the climax of the movie not by staging a shoot-out, but by putting his weapons to one side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/in-gran-torino-eastwood-moves-towards-the-climax-of-the-movie-not-by/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/) [Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/) > [David Shrigley is somewhere between stand-up comedy and cave paintings. He does these brilliant esoteric, simple drawings - you might even say bad drawings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-reid/david-shrigley-is-somewhere-between-stand-up-comedy-and-cave/) [Noah Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-reid/) [Browse all 2,299 Drawing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drawing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was in Cambridge reading mathematics, I went to Amsterdam for the International Mathematics Congress. There I saw M.C. Escher's fascinating work. 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