The Game of Chess (Sofonisba Anguissola)

The Game of Chess
ArtistSofonisba Anguissola
Yearc. 1555
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensions72 cm × 97 cm (28 in × 38 in)
LocationNational Museum in Poznań, Poznań

The Game of Chess (or Portrait of the artist's sisters playing chess) is an oil-on-canvas painting executed ca. 1555 by Italian Renaissance artist Sofonisba Anguissola. Anguissola was 23 years old when she painted it.

The painting is signed and dated on the edge of the chessboard, where Anguissola left this Latin inscription: SOPHONISBA ANGUSSOLA VIRGO AMILCARIS FILIA EX VERA EFFIGIE TRES SUAS SORORES ET ANCILLAM PINXIT MDLV – "Sofonisba Angussola virgin daughter of Amilcare painted from life her three sisters and a maid 1555."

History

Giorgio Vasari, visiting Cremona, was a guest in the house of Amilcare Anguissola and there admired paintings by Amilcare's daughters. About The Game of Chess he wrote, "I have seen this year in Cremona, in the house of her father a painting made with much diligence, the depiction of his three daughters, in the act of playing chess, and with them an old housemaid, done with such diligence and facility, that they appear alive, and the only thing missing is speech." This is the oldest document that mentions this painting, which remained hanging in the Anguissola family house for several years.[1]

The painting later arrived in Rome, together with the Self Portrait at a Spinet, and two of Anguissola's drawings (Child Bitten by a Lobster and another unidentified drawing) in the holdings of the humanist and collector Fulvio Orsini. They were then inherited by Cardinale Odoardo Farnese. The Game of Chess then turned up in Naples, after the Farnese inheritance had passed to the Bourbons, and it was eventually acquired by Luciano Bonaparte. It changed hands once more after this and arrived in the collection that today forms part of the National Museum in Poznań, Poland.

Three engravings based on this painting are known.

The painting has undergone evident repaintings.

Composition

In an agreeable garden Lucia, the third born of the Anguissola children, is moving some chess pieces; in front of her is Minerva, the fourth born, who is reacting to her adversary. She attracts the attention of the youngest sister, Europa (the fifth born) who is following the game and laughing. Minerva appears in a later painting (the Anguissola Family Portrait, but as an adolescent. The Portrait of Europa was painted by Lucia Anguissola possibly in the year after. Europa Anguissola is also identifiable as the child in the pencil drawing, Old Woman Studying the Alphabet with a Laughing Girl, today in the Uffizi, where the maid is also present, but older than the woman that appears in The Game of Chess.

Lucia is in action, while the housemaid observes the scene. There is a clear contrast in physiognomy between the younger (rich) women and the elder (common) woman. The young Anguissola women have jewels, embroidered clothes, and elaborate hairstyles. Minerva wears the same necklace as the Portrait of a Lady that is in Berlin and now identified as Bianca Ponzoni Anguissola – the mother of the three girls around the chessboard. The picture takes place in a domestic setting, circled with friendly figures, but the competitiveness of a game of chess is also visible. In the garden an old oak tree grows, laden in branches: it is a symbol of the solidity of family relationships. In the background is a light blue landscape, painted in the Flemish style.

Portrayal of Women Playing Chess

The extravagant, “queenly attire” the three Anguissola sisters wear serve as indications that Sofonisba Anguissola did not paint this scene to recreate a specific event of chess playing between the sisters.[2] The luxurious costume Anguissola dresses her sisters in draws the connection back to the domestic traditions of embroidery or weaving, but by portraying this group immersed in an activity completely different from the normal skills that were vital to a girl's education during this time period, Anguissola shows these young women in a new realm.[2]

The Game of Chess features an all-female group. New chess rules were in place in Italy by the time of the creation of Anguissola's painting, changing the hierarchy of power so that the queen held most importance out of all chess pieces.[3] Anguissola includes her sisters and maidservant in this composition but excludes her younger brother, Asdrubale.[2] The fully female cast is unlike many of the sixteenth-century artworks featuring games of chess that preceded it, like Giulio Campi’s The Chess Game or Lucas van Leyden’s Chess Game.[3] Chess was part of the humanistic education and was considered an excellent intellectual exercise for a human; in contrast the card and dice games, which were forbidden to women, but they were based on luck and not on intelligence. Anguissola's work acts as a "self-celebration of women's accomplishments and talent"[3] in how it challenges past "exclu[sions of] women from the representation of chess and an intellectual pursuit."[4]

According to an old tradition, the chess alluded to a Battle of the Amazons. In his poem from 1550 entitled Scacchia Ludus (or The Game of Chess), the Cremonese poet and bishop of Alba, Marco Gerolamo Vida, sometimes called the queen virgo and sometimes amazon and said that it can move in any direction.[5] The queens had the possibility of being resurrected from a pawn.[6] In the final section Vida mentions a battle between two queens, in which the white queen dies and rises again. At the end the black queen checkmates the white. The battle painted by Anguissola alludes to the search for a conquering woman. With this the chessboard becomes an allegory and the true queens are the two Anguissola sisters, then spend their life virtuously, taking part in an educational exercise.[7]

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Centro culturale ‘Città di Cremona’ in S. Maria della Pietà (Italy), et al., editors. Sofonisba Anguissola e Le Sue Sorelle. Leonardo arte, 1994, p190
  2. ^ a b c Cole, Michael Wayne (11 February 2020). Sofonisba's lesson : a Renaissance artist and her work. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-19832-3. OCLC 1108816930.
  3. ^ a b c Garrard, Mary D. (2005). Here's looking at me : Sofonisba Anguissola and the problem of the woman artist. OCLC 887237750.
  4. ^ SIMONS, P. (1993-01-01). "(Check)Mating the Grand Masters: The Gendered, Sexualized Politics of Chess in Renaissance Italy". Oxford Art Journal. 16 (1): 59–74. doi:10.1093/oxartj/16.1.59. ISSN 0142-6540.
  5. ^ Marco Girolamo Vida, Poemata omnia. Hymni de reb. divinis, Christiados, De Arte poetica, De Bombyce, Scacchia, Bucolica Eclogae, Carmina diversi generis pleraq. non antehac edita
  6. ^ Severino, Marco Aurelio. 1690. La Filosofia Overo Il Perche Degli Scacchi Per Cui Chiaramente Si Mostra Prima l'artificio della fabrica universale, poscia la ragion particolare della ordinanza, & degli andamenti tutti degli Scacchi: Overo Il Perché Degli Scacchi Per Cui Chiaramente Si Mostra Prima l'artificio della fabrica universale, poscia la ragion particolare della ordinanza, & degli andamenti tutti degli Scacchi. Napoli: Antonio Bulifon.
  7. ^ Centro culturale ‘Città di Cremona’ in S. Maria della Pietà (Italy), et al., editors. Sofonisba Anguissola e Le Sue Sorelle. Leonardo arte, 1994, p68

Media related to The Chess Game by Sofonisba Anguissola at Wikimedia Commons

Read other articles:

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Permanent Council of the Russian EmpireНепременный советAgency overviewFormedApril 11, 1801; 222 years ago (1801-04-11)Preceding agencyCouncil at the Highest CourtDissolved1810; 213 years ago (...

 

Patung Alfonso III dari León di Madrid (L.S. Carmona, 1750-53). Alfonso III (skt. 848 – 20 Desember 910), dijuluki yang Agung, adalah raja León, Galisia dan Asturias dari 866 hingga kematiannya. Dia juga dijuluki Kaisar Spanyol. Ia adalah putra dan penerus dari Ordoñu I. Ia juga bergelar Pangeran seluruh Galisia (Princeps totius Galletiae[1]). Sedikit yang diketahui mengenai Alfonso kecuali fakta keberhasilannya dalam mengkonsolidasi kerajaan selama lemahnya Umayyah di Cordoba. I...

 

Area of land under a jurisdiction For other uses, see Territory (disambiguation). Territorial redirects here. The term may also refer to Military reserve force. Part of the Politics seriesPolitics Outline Index Category Primary topics Outline of political science Index of politics articles Politics by country Politics by subdivision Political economy Political history Political history of the world Political philosophy Political systems Anarchy City-state Democracy Dictatorship Directorial Fe...

Gorze Gorze (Frankreich) Staat Frankreich Region Grand Est Département (Nr.) Moselle (57) Arrondissement Metz Kanton Les Coteaux de Moselle Gemeindeverband Mad et Moselle Koordinaten 49° 3′ N, 6° 0′ O49.0538888888895.9988888888889Koordinaten: 49° 3′ N, 6° 0′ O Höhe 192–356 m Fläche 17,94 km² Einwohner 1.155 (1. Januar 2020) Bevölkerungsdichte 64 Einw./km² Postleitzahl 57680 INSEE-Code 57254 Vorlage:Infobox Gemeinde in ...

 

Bagian dari seriIslam Rukun Iman Keesaan Allah Nabi dan Rasul Allah Kitab-kitab Allah Malaikat Hari Kiamat Qada dan Qadar Rukun Islam Syahadat Salat Zakat Puasa Haji Sumber hukum Islam al-Qur'an Sunnah (Hadis, Sirah) Tafsir Akidah Fikih Syariat Sejarah Garis waktu Muhammad Ahlulbait Sahabat Nabi Khulafaur Rasyidin Khalifah Imamah Ilmu pengetahuan Islam abad pertengahan Penyebaran Islam Penerus Muhammad Budaya dan masyarakat Akademik Akhlak Anak-anak Dakwah Demografi Ekonomi Feminisme Filsafat...

 

Spanish footballer Not to be confused with Coke (footballer); Koke (footballer, born 1983); or Keko (footballer, born 1991). In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Resurrección and the second or maternal family name is Merodio. Koke Koke with Atlético Madrid in 2019Personal informationFull name Jorge Resurrección Merodio[1]Date of birth (1992-01-08) 8 January 1992 (age 31)[2]Place of birth Madrid, SpainHeight 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) ...

Below is a list of speakers of the Australian House of Representatives. The parties shown are those to which the speakers belonged at the time they held office. List No. Name Portrait Party State Term of office Comments 1 Sir Frederick Holder Independent South Australia 9 May 1901 23 July 1909 Resigned from Free Trade Party upon election as speaker. Died in office. 2 Dr Carty Salmon Liberal Victoria 28 July 1909 19 February 1910 3 Charles McDonald Labor Queensland 1 July 1910 23 April 1913 Fi...

 

Ludwig si JermanRaja Francia TimurSebuah segel yang bertuliskan Ludwig dan patung Ludwig.BerkuasaRaja Bayern: 817–843; Raja Francia Timur: 843–876PendahuluLudwig yang SalehPenerusKarlmann dari Bayern(Bayern)Ludwig III (Sachsen)Karl si Gendut (Franka)Kelahiranskt. 810Kematian28 Agustus 876FrankfurtWangsaWangsa KarolingAyahLudwig yang SalehIbuErmengarde dari HesbayeAnakKarlmann dari BayernLudwig IIIKarl si Gendut Wangsa Karoling Wangsa Pipin Pipin Tua (ca. 580–640) Grimoald Tua (616–656...

 

Categorisation of people's intelligence based on IQ Score distribution chart for sample of 905 children tested on 1916 Stanford–Binet Test IQ classification is the practice of categorizing human intelligence, as measured by intelligence quotient (IQ) tests, into categories such as superior or average.[1][2][3][4] In the current IQ scoring method, an IQ score of 100 means that the test-taker's performance on the test is of average performance in the sample of ...

1931 film This article is about the 1931 cartoon. For the 1964 cartoon, see Dumb Patrol. Dumb Patrol is a 1931 one-reel short subject, part of the Looney Tunes series.[1] It was released in May 1931 and is directed by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising.[2] The film score was composed by Frank Marsales. This cartoon shares its name with Dumb Patrol (1964), a Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam cartoon (also part of the Looney Tunes series) which was directed by Gerry Chiniquy. Plot Bosko, de...

 

Криптосисте́ма Ра́біна — асиметрична криптографічна система, безпека якої забезпечується складністю пошуку квадратних коренів складеного числа. Безпека системи, як і безпека методу RSA, обумовлена ​​складністю розкладання на множники великих чисел. Зашифроване по...

 

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Blood Curse film – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2021) (Learn how and when to remo...

American singer For other people named Michael Posner, see Michael Posner (disambiguation). Mike PosnerPosner at the B96 Pepsi SummerBash in 2012Background informationBirth nameMichael Robert Henrion PosnerBorn (1988-02-12) February 12, 1988 (age 35)Detroit, Michigan, U.S.OriginSouthfield, Michigan, U.S.GenresPop rap[1]Occupation(s) Rapper singer songwriter record producer Years active2007–presentLabels J RCA Island[2] Arista Monster Mountain Member of Mansionz Websitea...

 

Entrance examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission of India This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; try the Find link tool for suggestions. (August 2023) NDA ExamAcronymNDA ExamDeveloper / administratorUnion Public Service CommissionKnowledge / skills testedWriting, English, General knowledge, othersPurposeSelection of candidates to the various posts of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air ForceYear starte...

 

Burial ground in Surrey, England Not to be confused with Rookwood Cemetery. Brookwood CemeteryThe Grade II* listed monument to Lord Edward Clinton at Brookwood Cemetery[1][2]DetailsEstablished1852LocationBrookwood, Surrey within Woking ancient parish and post townCountryUnited KingdomCoordinates51°17′48″N 00°38′00″W / 51.29667°N 0.63333°W / 51.29667; -0.63333Owned byWoking Necropolis and Mausoleum Limited, subsidiary of Woking Borough Counci...

Zambian freedom fighter and politician This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; try the Find link tool for suggestions. (December 2022) Chibesa Kankasa, often known as Mama Kankasa (1936-2018) was a Zambian freedom fighter and politician.[1] Life Chibesa Kankasa was born on 23 March 1936 at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali. She was the sixth child of Yotam Chibesakunda, a carpenter, and Chilufya Mununga Mutale Chib...

 

Moscow Metro station KhovrinoХовриноMoscow Metro stationThe Khovrino metro station on its opening day.General informationLocationKhovrino District, Northern Administrative OkrugMoscowRussiaCoordinates55°52′45″N 37°28′56″E / 55.879167°N 37.482222°E / 55.879167; 37.482222Owned byMoskovsky MetropolitenLine(s) Zamoskvoretskaya linePlatforms1 island platformTracks2ConstructionStructure typeTwo-span shallow-column station[1]Depth12 metres (39&...

 

Map of the Maumee River watershed showing the Little Auglaize River. The Little Auglaize River is a 47.0-mile-long (75.6 km)[1] tributary of the Auglaize River in northwest Ohio in the United States. It drains a primarily rural farming area in the watershed of Lake Erie. It rises in southern Van Wert County, approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of Van Wert. It flows northeast past Middle Point. Near Ottoville in western Putnam County it turns north-northwest for its lower 10...

Cricket stadium in Sri Lanka R. Premadasa Cricket StadiumKhettarama StadiumGround informationLocationColomboCoordinates6°56′22.8″N 79°52′19.3″E / 6.939667°N 79.872028°E / 6.939667; 79.872028Establishment1986Capacity35,000[1]OwnerSri Lanka CricketOperatorSri Lanka CricketEnd namesKhettarama EndMaligawatte EndInternational informationFirst Test28 August – 2 September 1992: Sri Lanka v  AustraliaLast Test14–18 July 2017: Sri Lanka v ...

 

Canadian bobsledder Sara VillaniVillani at the 2021 IBSF World Championships Bobsleigh and SkeletonPersonal informationNationalityCanadianBorn (1996-09-19) 19 September 1996 (age 27)Mississauga, Ontario, CanadaSportCountryCanadaSportBobsleigh Sara Villani (born 19 September 1996) is a Canadian bobsledder.[1][2] Career Villani began her athletic career as a heptathlete, but in 2018 she was identified at the TBC Training Ground as a potential brakewoman in bobsleigh.[2&...

 

Strategi Solo vs Squad di Free Fire: Cara Menang Mudah!