The Game of Chess
The lady has won. Leaning casually against an armchair she peruses the chessboard. Incredulous, the seated older gentleman stares at the game. His king is mate—checkmate! It all takes place in an upper-middle-class salon, where women set the tone and determined the guest list. A pair of statues behind the lady adds further insight into the scene. It shows Hercules and Omphale: Omphale with a club and lion’s skin, Hercules—the hero of Greek mythology—with a distaff and wearing women’s clothes. The roles have been reversed, albeit only temporarily: Hercules will take back his lion’s skin and club, and the older gentleman will give his all to defeat the lady in a rematch.
1839
Oil on canvas
135.0 x 175.0cm
Lg 1108
Image © Belvedere, Vienna, 2024
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The Game of Chess by Josef Danhauser
Better Times? Waldmüller and Biedermeier Vienna
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