Battle of Austerlitz chessmen (32)
The red king is Napoleon, his queen Josephine. The red bishops are soldiers in tricornes. The red knights are French hussars, and the rooks are figures personifying Victory, holding victor's wreaths, on high columns. The pawns are French guardsmen. The green king is possibly Francis I of Austria, and the queen may be his wife, but she resembles Catherine the Great of Russia; her appearance here may be an anachronistic attempt to symbolize the presence of Russia as an ally of Austria at the Battle of Austerlitz. The knights are similar to Polish lancers; the rooks castles, the pawns Prussian infantry. The figures are finely carved, and there is more animation and sculptural quality in the queens and bishops than is customarily seen in chess sculpture.
Artwork Details
- Title: Battle of Austerlitz chessmen (32)
- Date: 19th century
- Culture: French, Dieppe
- Medium: Ivory
- Dimensions: Height (each king): 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm);
Height (each pawn): 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm) - Classification: Chess Sets
- Credit Line: Gift of Gustavus A. Pfeiffer, 1948
- Object Number: 48.174.131a–p, aa–pp
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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French, Dieppe
ca. 1870–80
French, Dieppe
19th century
French, Dieppe
19th century
French, Dieppe
19th century
French, Dieppe
19th century
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