Chess Players 1853

Ernest Meissonier’s ‘Chess Players’ is an oil painting, but it depicts so much more than just the application of pigment to canvas. Look closely at the clothing worn by the figures. The tailoring is not merely represented; it is evoked. We can almost feel the weight and texture of the fabrics. The furniture too has a palpable presence, the carved wood and plush upholstery suggesting the labor involved in their creation. The chess pieces themselves imply both the craftsman’s skill and the players’ leisure, emblems of a privileged class. The way Meissonier has layered brushstrokes to mimic the textures of wood, textile, and glass draws attention to the relationship between materials and social status. Even the dog in the foreground is more than a pet, it is a marker of wealth. By focusing our attention on the materiality of the scene, Meissonier invites us to consider the social context in which these objects were made and consumed. We must look beyond the painted surface to understand the full meaning of the artwork.