God Save The Queen 2021

Michael Cheval created "God Save The Queen" at an unknown date using oil on canvas. The painting presents a surreal scene dominated by a chessboard and a pensive queen, challenging our perception of reality. The composition is structured around a vibrant chessboard, its squares a mosaic of colors that contrast with the muted tones of the queen’s attire. This juxtaposition creates a visual tension, emphasizing the game’s strategic nature against the queen’s introspective mood. The queen's elaborate headdress, rendered in swirling, organic forms against the backdrop of a deep blue sky, introduces an element of fantasy. Cheval uses these contrasting elements—the geometric chessboard, the organic headdress, and the queen's stillness—to destabilize the conventional narrative of a chess game. The floating gloved hand makes the next move for the queen in a game that appears to be already decided. The piece functions as a semiotic puzzle, inviting us to question the nature of control, destiny, and the roles we play in life's grand game.