The Chess Players (Daumier)
The Chess Players is an oil on wood painting by the French artist Honoré Daumier, created in the 1860s. It is part of the collection of the Petit Palais, in Paris. History. The exact date of creation of the painting is unknown. The painting was supposedly created between 1863 and 1867. At the lower left there is the signature of the artist, "h Daumier". In the catalog of the artist's works, the painting is listed under DR Number 7168. A little-known version of the painting, even for specialists in the artist's work, is  in a private collection. In the catalog of works by Daumier, it is listed under DR Number 9590. There was another author's version of this picture, where the pieces of chess players occupy almost the entire surface of the canvas, leaving almost no room for the interior. This work is listed in the artist's catalog under the number DR Number 8031. At one time it was in the private collection of Tannhauser (in Munich or New York, where the two components of the collection were located), it was suggested that this version of the painting was completed by  another artist. Its present whereabouts are unknown, only poorly preserved black-and-white photographs exist. Description. In a dimly lit room, two chess players of different ages, possibly father and son, are playing chess; both are fully immersed in the game. The atmosphere of tension is emphasized by the close-up of the image, the figures almost completely occupy the space of the canvas. The younger man sits with his head resting on his hand, calmly contemplating the arrangement of the chess pieces. His facial expression and body position suggest that he may be winning over his opponent. Confident in  his victory, he waits for his partner's return move in order to make his own decisive move, which will bring him victory. The older man seems to be restless, his tense body rising slightly from the chair, and his hand convulsively grips the edge of the table. He considers the position with a worried expression, perhaps realizing that his defeat is inevitable. Daumier matched the colors for the chess players clothing with the color of the chess pieces. The white suit of one character is opposed to the black sweater of his oponent. Experts note the duality of light  and shadow, which enhances the drama of the scene. Daumier was able not only to portray the scene of confrontation between the two opponents, but also managed to create the appropriate atmosphere of tension in this scene. The art historian Robert Rey suggests that Daumier never had enough time to become proficient at the games of dominoes, chess or cards, and to practice these games regularly, due to his rigid commitment to producing lithographs. However, in his work there are a large number of lithographs and several paintings in which these games are depicted, which seems to attest a pronounced  interest in them. Analysis. Daumier at the time of the creation of the canvas had already begun to lose his sight; the faces of his chess players are grotesque, exaggerated, deliberately roughly drawn; the work is close to the work of the Impressionists. The artist often used theatrical motifs in his work. Daumier freely adapted for his needs the images created by the actors on stage, transferred them to the space of his paintings. In this painting there is also some simulated theatricality of images. The faces of the characters are close to masks. Such a mask, ritual or theatrical , is built according to the laws of the grotesque and hyperbole. At the same time, the artist deliberately minimizes individual facial features. Art historians often compare his paintings to the features of the Italian theater Commedia dell'arte. Provenance. The painting was in the private collection of Eugène Jacquette, in Paris, until 1899. The same year, the painting was donated to the Museum of Fine Arts of the city of Paris, located in the Petit Palais, where it still hangs. The picture has repeatedly represented the artist's work at foreign exhibitions.