Temporary Ugliness
One shining proof stands amid stacks of crossed-out drafts, illustrating Propp's line about scaffolding.
Drawn for an essay by James Propp.
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Cartoon by Ben Orlin, Math with Bad Drawings. https://cartoons.mathwithbaddrawings.com/2020-02-17-temporary-ugliness/ (CC BY-NC 4.0)Transcript
[A mathematician holds up a glowing proof amid piles of crossed-out drafts]
[Quote] "Temporary ugliness is an essential feature of doing mathematics. You don't build cathedrals without putting up scaffolds." – Jim Propp, "Chess with the Devil"