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George Arnold Escher

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George Arnold Escher
Born(1843-05-10)10 May 1843
Den Haag,[1] Netherlands
Died14 June 1939(1939-06-14) (aged 96)
Den Haag,[2] Netherlands
NationalityDutch
OccupationCivil engineer
Spouses
Charlotte Marie Hartitzsch
​
​
(m. 1882; died 1885)​
Sara Gleichman
​
(m. 1892)​
Children5 sons, including:
M. C. Escher
Berend George Escher

George Arnold Escher (10 May 1843 – 14 June 1939) was a Dutch civil engineer and a foreign advisor to the Japanese government during the Meiji period.[3][4]

He was the father of the graphic artist M. C. Escher and the geologist Berend George Escher.

Career

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Escher was hired by the Japanese government as a foreign advisor from September 1873 to July 1878, along with fellow Dutch civil engineers Johannis de Rijke and Cornelis Johannes van Doorn.[3] During his stay in Japan, he designed and supervised the restoration of the Yodo river (Osaka), and built a harbour in Mikuni in Fukui prefecture.

Escher also collaborated on works in China with Johannis de Rijke, including works related to the sandbank at the mouth of the Huangpu Jiang. This tributary of the Yangtze River plays a crucial role in Shanghai's international trade.[5] Escher accompanied de Rijke on an exploratory visit to Shanghai and compiled a report that garnered considerable attention, though it did not culminate in immediate implementation.[6][7][8]

After returning to the Netherlands, he worked in Maastricht. During this time, he recorded in his diary his difficulty as a Protestant in finding a suitable marriage partner in Roman Catholic Maastricht who would also be able to satisfy his equation v = 1/2m + 10, where v was the age of the woman, and m the age of the husband.[9] In 1882, Escher married Charlotte Marie Hartitzsch, with whom he had two sons. He became a widower in 1885, and in 1892 married Sara Gleichman, with whom he had three more sons. Escher worked as a hydraulic engineer in Leeuwarden. In 1903 the family moved to Arnhem.[10][11]

Notes

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  1. ^ https://www.openarch.nl/brd:8e756696-1bc3-6e7c-bc05-4f00b6433ff0 [bare URL]
  2. ^ "Overlijdensakte George Arnold Escher". Gemeente Den Haag. 15 June 1939. hdl:21.12124/FEFB90EF6D9F46239B59905A24E10FFE.
  3. ^ a b Louman, Johannes. (2007). Fries waterstaatsbestuur, p. 127. , p. 127, at Google Books
  4. ^ van Gasteren, Louis, ed. (2003). Die Eeuwige Rijst met Japansche Thee: Brieven uit Japan van Nederlandse Watermannen, 1872–1903. Uitgeverij Bas Lubberhuizen. ISBN 9789059370241.
  5. ^ Yellow River Conservancy Commission, "Speech by Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange," 2005; Archived May 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2013-4-5.
  6. ^ Tutein Nolthenius, R (1896-07-11). "Technische attché's" [Technical attaches]. De Ingenieur (in Dutch). 11 (28).
  7. ^ redactie (1896-07-11). "Vooruitzichten van Nederlandsche Ingenieurs in China}" [prospects for Dutch engineers in China]. De Ingenieur (in Dutch). 11 (28).
  8. ^ G. A. Escher, Johs. de Rijke (1894). "Woosung inner bar : with an appendix consisting of the report on the bar (1876)". Statistical Department of the Inspectorate General of Customs. Retrieved 9 December 2023. CiNii Available at 1 libraries
  9. ^ "v = 1/2m + 10". Archived from the original on December 15, 2005. Retrieved June 5, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ Escher, G.A. (1981). Volume of the Biographical sketch & Memories of George Arnold Escher written after his retirement in 1910 & 1911. Mahone Bay, Canada.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. ^ Escher, M.C.; Bool, F. (1992). M.C. Escher: Life and Work. Harry N. Abrams. ISBN 978-0-8109-8113-3.

References

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Further reading

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