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Chessman: Knight

Chessman: Knight

Artist/Maker
Dateca. 1120-40
MediumIvory with traces of gilding and color
DimensionsOverall: 2 3/16 × 1 11/16 × 1 3/4 in. (5.5 × 4.3 × 4.5 cm)
Credit LineR. T. Miller Jr. Fund
Object number1948.310
Status
Not on view
More Information
This chess piece depicts the legend of Saint George and the dragon that rapidly gained popularity in Byzantine and Western Christian traditions via the Crusades in the 12th century. The sword-wielding knight slaying a dragon represents an allegory of good versus evil.

Many medieval artworks, such as this one, were once colorful and have since faded over time. Here most of the gilding is gone, and only remnants of red remain as evidence that the piece was once decorated. To distinguish the opposing sides of chess, one set of pieces would be stained red while the other was left uncolored.
Exhibition History
An American University Collection: Works of Art from the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, Ohio
  • Kenwood House, London (May 3, 1962 - October 30, 1962 )
Treasures from the Allen Memorial Art Museum
  • Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, MN (July 21, 1966 - September 11, 1966 )
Animals in Art, East and West
  • Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (December 13, 1979 - January 7, 1980 )
The Meeting of Two Worlds: The Crusades and the Mediterranean Context
  • University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor, MI (May 9, 1981 - September 27, 1981 )
Digital Reimaginings: Printing Towards Accessibility
  • Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (January 27, 2024 - May 26, 2024 )
Collections
  • European
This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator. Noticed a mistake? Have some extra information about this object? Please contact us.