The Chess Game 1896

Ludwig Deutsch painted this scene, entitled ‘The Chess Game,’ with oil on canvas. But let’s also consider all the work that went into the scene that Deutsch represents. Take the polychrome tiles in the background. They would have required a community of makers – potters, glaziers, designers, and installers, each highly skilled. Consider also the carpentry and turning of the latticed window screen, or the intricate knotting of the carpet. These are all the products of intense, specialized labor. It’s important to note that in this period, paintings of this kind – often called “Orientalist” – were popular among European collectors, who were fascinated by what they perceived as exotic cultures. But by focusing on the material culture represented in the painting, we can appreciate not just the image itself, but the vast network of artisanal production that it implies. This allows us to expand our understanding of the work beyond its status as a painting, and towards its significance as a cultural document.