№ 00234 «Chess Players» Tribute to Friedrich Moritz August Retzsch
Oil on canvas 60 x 60 Apollonas Soben cubism style
Chess players (painting by Retsch)
“Chess Players” (German: Die Schachspieler) is a painting by the German academic artist Friedrich August Moritz Retzsch (or Retzsch[1], German: Friedrich Moritz August Retzsch, 1779-1857). The unusual plot of the picture is of keen interest to art historians, chess players, cartoonists, politically biased media, and theologians.
The artist painted and painted in the spirit of the old classical school. When a circle of Nazarenes arose, Retsch acted as their ideological opponent. The painting “Chess Players”, like his other works, is designed in an academic style. Technique – oil on wood. Size – 32.3 × 39 centimeters. Acquired by Queen Isabella II of Spain (1833-1904). Later it was in the collection of a certain Mr. Chappuis, and since 1898 – in the collection of E. Constantine in Paris. The painting was put up for auction by Christie’s