
Chess and Art
What things are artistically related to chess?There are many forms of art that can be connected to chess — such as paintings, movies, video games, sculptures, or even music inspired by the game.
I recently saw a painting that really shocked me because of the story behind it. The artwork has several titles, including:
- Schachspielers
- Satan Playing at Chess with Man, for His Soul – The Saturday Magazine, Volume 10, May 6, 1837
- The Game of Life
- Some correspondents also referred to it as Jeu d’Échecs (“The Game of Chess”), instead of the correct Les Joueurs d’Échecs (“The Chess Players”)
- The Checkmate
"The most famous "Checkmate" painting is The Devil's Checkmate (1831) by German artist Friedrich Moritz August Retzsch"
And what could Murphy say about this? xD...
The story was part of an article titled “Anecdote of Morphy” and appeared on page 60 of Volume III, Number 7, 8.
How fortune went with Mr. Morphy in the earlier part of the evening mat easily be inferred.
While at supper Morphy’s attention was attracted by a picture which hung prominently upon the wall. This picture seems to be pretty well known, , and indeed somewhat celebrated, although the writer regrets that he himself never had the pleasure of meeting with it. It represents the—to speak politely – and he is thus politely depicted – Mephistphiles [sic] playing a game of Chess with a young man for his soul. The Chessmen with which his Satanic Majesty plays are the Vices ; the pieces of the young man are, or have been, the Virtues—for, alas! he has very few left. In bad case, indeed, is the unhappy youth, for his game, as represented, appears not only desperate but hopeless, and his fate sealed. His adversary gloats in anticipation of the final coup. and the gleaming smile on the face of the hitter intensifies the despair which that of the young man shows.’ With the close of the supper, deeply interested, Morphy approached the picture, studied it awhile intently, then turning to his host he said, modestly: “I think that I can take the young man’s game and win.” ” Why, impossible !” was the answer; “not even you, Mr. Morphy, can retrieve that game.” ” Yet, I think I can.” said Morphy. ” Suppose we place the men and try.” A board was arranged, and the rest of the company gathered round it, deeply interested in the result. To the surprise of every one, victory was snatched from the devil and the young man saved.
Thinking that a blunder must have led to this unexpected result, one after another did each sober, serious gentleman essay the devil’s part, and to each in turn did Mr. Morphy prove that not even on intellectual grounds could the “enemy” be defended, for Morphy beat them one and all. The writer, who sends the narrative, thinking it too good to be lost, has long been interested to see this picture ; and it may interest readers to look for it, and with the position which is represented, try whether he or she could make an escape from the claws of the Evil One.
G. R. F.
Link to analyze the position on Lichess
There is more information about this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmsPousysSs&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fchesslovin.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE
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For me, it was a gift — a beautiful artist drew an illusion of chess pieces.
-Yeidis Luna.
Even in art and anime, chess appears in interesting ways.
I recently watched an anime that features chess — it’s quite rare to find that combination. I liked how they explained certain concepts, and there’s one match in particular that I would really love to see played on a real board. It’s from the anime Silent Witch: Chinmoku no Majo no Kakushigoto. There are several matches shown, but there’s one I especially liked.
And what kind of art do you see in the world related to the game of chess?
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