Chess of the middle ages
€3,333.00
€3,333.00
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Marko Kovačič: A chess set
The story of the unique chess set by Slovene academic sculptor Marko Kovačič goes back to the discovery of famous and mysterious Lewis Chessmen from 11th or 12th Century found on the Scottish island of Lewis in 1831, which Kovačič used as an inspiration to make his own hand-made chess set. He didn’t strictly follow the original models and also made some considerable changes. A sculptor by profession, he adapted the physiognomy according to his artistic practice. One of the important differences comes from his usage of ornaments with more decorative function than figurative one which is typical for the Orient.
The working process is quite demanding: 24 chessmen are hand-delineated in clay and then the negative moulds are made that enable only one set to be made of ceramic plaster. The chess board is handmade of wood in intarsia technique in wallnut, smoked oak and white maple. The chess set is kept in a well hand-made wooden wallnut box with a sliding cover.
Chess is a royal game that came to Europe through Persia. It was popular at the European courts and the games as well as the chess sets were focused more on artistic expression, rather than technical. The figures were made by connosseurs and sculptors. The chess game revealed also the high and influential position the church had in the Middle Ages: some new figures, such as a bishop, were added to the standard set in Europe. Later the figures became smaller and the chess popular among people. It has become a discipline with strict rules, masters and competitions, while the chess tournaments have become the standard form among serious players and often broadcasted also on TV. That was the case with the famous duel between Boris Spaski and Bobby Fisher that became an allegory of the Cold War. On the other hand there were also man-size figures played outdoors and the mechanical automata which later developed to computer programs.
Finally, what can the artistic chess set inspired by the sources from the Middle Ages present today? The unique work of art for sure and the delicacy for the collectors as well.
The story of the unique chess set by Slovene academic sculptor Marko Kovačič goes back to the discovery of famous and mysterious Lewis Chessmen from 11th or 12th Century found on the Scottish island of Lewis in 1831, which Kovačič used as an inspiration to make his own hand-made chess set. He didn’t strictly follow the original models and also made some considerable changes. A sculptor by profession, he adapted the physiognomy according to his artistic practice. One of the important differences comes from his usage of ornaments with more decorative function than figurative one which is typical for the Orient.
The working process is quite demanding: 24 chessmen are hand-delineated in clay and then the negative moulds are made that enable only one set to be made of ceramic plaster. The chess board is handmade of wood in intarsia technique in wallnut, smoked oak and white maple. The chess set is kept in a well hand-made wooden wallnut box with a sliding cover.
Chess is a royal game that came to Europe through Persia. It was popular at the European courts and the games as well as the chess sets were focused more on artistic expression, rather than technical. The figures were made by connosseurs and sculptors. The chess game revealed also the high and influential position the church had in the Middle Ages: some new figures, such as a bishop, were added to the standard set in Europe. Later the figures became smaller and the chess popular among people. It has become a discipline with strict rules, masters and competitions, while the chess tournaments have become the standard form among serious players and often broadcasted also on TV. That was the case with the famous duel between Boris Spaski and Bobby Fisher that became an allegory of the Cold War. On the other hand there were also man-size figures played outdoors and the mechanical automata which later developed to computer programs.
Finally, what can the artistic chess set inspired by the sources from the Middle Ages present today? The unique work of art for sure and the delicacy for the collectors as well.