Designs for Chessmen. Verso: Sketches 

Editor: This is Thomas Stothard's "Designs for Chessmen. Verso: Sketches," held at the Tate. It's a busy drawing; figures on horseback, soldiers, and even an elephant! What was the artistic climate that fostered such imaginative designs for something as traditional as chess pieces? Curator: Well, we see here the burgeoning public interest in art and design of the late 18th century. Stothard was a key figure, creating imagery for a growing consumer culture. Chess sets, once exclusively for the elite, were becoming accessible. Editor: So, Stothard's designs speak to a changing society and broader access to luxury items? Curator: Precisely. It's about the democratization of taste and the role of artists in shaping that taste through designs readily available to a wider audience. Editor: I see it now. It's not just chess pieces, but a reflection of societal shifts. Curator: Exactly! And that's where art history helps us understand the public role of art.