An optical illusion at the top of the tower in the painting makes the stairs appear to always ascend but never move higher is inspired by M. C. Escher’s 1960 “Ascending and Descending” lithograph. The illusion is created with a play on perspective that is easily drawn in 2 dimensions, but not physically possible in 3 dimensions. The illusion’s representation in the painting is intriguing, but more importantly, fits the theme of this piece perfectly.