Chessman (Queen) 1850 - 1875

Curator: Ah, there's something commanding about this piece. It seems both delicate and imposing at the same time. Editor: Yes, there is an arresting aura about her, I feel it too! Let’s explore Elkington & Co.’s silver sculpture, "Chessman (Queen)," likely crafted between 1850 and 1875. Currently, it resides here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: So, it’s meant to be functional as well as decorative. Silver would impart a regal quality befitting the queen. I am intrigued by how her visual representation informs our contemporary understanding of power and feminine leadership. Editor: Indeed. Chess itself has a history deeply entwined with power and strategy, originating in ancient India before spreading westward. Crafting chess pieces from precious metals elevates the game from a pastime to a display of wealth and status. Consider the rise of industrialization: suddenly these precious commodities became something manufacturable for the upper middle classes. Curator: The piece embodies 19th-century sensibilities regarding royalty, don't you think? It reflects a yearning for legitimacy through aesthetic and symbolic traditions. I also see continuity with ancient goddess figures; she echoes earlier symbols of sovereignty and divine feminine authority through the ages. Editor: Definitely. This sculpture gives material form to aspirations for a more refined life. Who possessed this queen and the larger chess set it would’ve been a part of, and what social rituals was it employed within? How were games structured and influenced, at the time, by burgeoning international diplomacy? That history interests me. Curator: Looking closer, notice how her gaze is unwavering, yet her posture hints at composure and careful consideration. This is a symbolic strategy; chess after all is fundamentally strategic, yes? The material almost allows us to meditate on power dynamics across the ages! Editor: And it is these dynamics that dictate production and access; silver speaks of value, but more so, power relations intrinsic in these pieces that speak so loudly to me. Curator: It makes you appreciate how an object like this captures cultural values and communicates them across centuries. Editor: Precisely. The "Chessman (Queen)" piece demonstrates the multifaceted lives art holds—beauty, status, politics, history.