Chess Atlas
18 hours ago
- The oldest surviving chess pieces date from the 7th century and were made from ivory, including the Afrasiab, Charlemagne, and Lewis Chessmen.
- Wooden chess sets evolved from the Selenus pattern (1616) to the Staunton design (1849), which became the universal standard; modernist versions were created by Man Ray, Hartwig, and Max Ernst.
- Ceramic and porcelain chess pieces originated in ancient Persia and Sasanian cultures, and later included ornate sets from Meissen and Wedgwood.
- Modern metal chess sets were designed by artists and architects such as Man Ray, Alexander Calder, Frank Gehry, and Zaha Hadid, and include iconic sets from the Fischer–Spassky match.
- Crystal and glass chess sets, made from Lucite, Swarovski crystal, and Murano glass, emphasize transparency as a conceptual element.
- Chess as an art object has been explored by Duchamp, Dalí, Yoko Ono, and contemporary artists including Hirst, Whiteread, and Kusama, with unique conceptual and mixed-media sets.