Chess has had a long and colorful history since its beginnings in the 6th century. And ever since the creation of the game the board and game pieces have been a continuous source of inspiration for artists who year after year create new interpretations. Here is a look at chess's place in history and culture along with some historically and artistically important sets.

History

Early

Chess originated in India during the Gupta empire, where its early form in the 6th century was known as caturaṅga, which translates as "four divisions [of the military]" – infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariotry, represented by the pieces that would evolve into the modern pawn, knight, bishop, and rook, respectively. Both the Persians and Arabs attribute the game of chess to the Indians. In Sassanid Persia around 600 the name became shatranj and the rules were developed further. Shatranj was taken up by the Muslim world after the Islamic conquest of Persia, with the pieces largely retaining their Persian names. In Spanish "shatranj" was rendered as ajedrez, in Portuguese as xadrez, and in Greek as zatrikion, but in the rest of Europe it was replaced by versions of the Persian shāh ("king"), which was familiar as an exclamation and became our words "check and chess". Murray theorized that this change happened from Muslim traders coming to European seaports with ornamental chess kings as curios before they brought the game of chess.

wikipedia; Iranian chess set, glazed fritware, 12th century.

The game reached Western Europe and Russia by at least three routes, the earliest being in the 9th century. By the year 1000 it had spread throughout Europe. Introduced into the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors in the 10th century, it was described in a famous 13th-century manuscript covering shatranj, backgammon, and dice named the Libro de los juegos.

DIA; Rock Crystal and Smoky Topaz Chess Set and Board, around 1525, Germany

Another theory contends that chess arose from the game xiangqi (Chinese Chess) or one of its predecessors.

Modern

Around 1200, rules of shatranj started to be modified in southern Europe, and around 1475, several major changes made the game essentially as it is known today. These modern rules for the basic moves had been adopted in Italy and Spain. Pawns gained the option of advancing two squares on their first move, while bishops and queens acquired their modern abilities. This made the queen the most powerful piece; consequently modern chess was referred to as "Queen's Chess" or "Mad Queen Chess". These new rules quickly spread throughout western Europe, with the exception of the rules about stalemate, which were finalized in the early 19th century.

wikipedia; Original Staunton chess pieces by Nathaniel Cook from 1849

Writings about the theory of how to play chess began to appear in the 15th century. The oldest surviving printed chess book, Repetición de Amores y Arte de Ajedrez (Repetition of Love and the Art of Playing Chess) by Spanish churchman Luis Ramirez de Lucena was published in Salamanca in 1497. Lucena and later masters like Portuguese Pedro Damiano, Italians Giovanni Leonardo Di Bona, Giulio Cesare Polerio and Gioachino Greco or Spanish bishop Ruy López de Segura developed elements of openings and started to analyze simple endgames.

DIA; Emroidered Chess Set and Board, 19th century, Morocco

Chess in Culture

Early

In the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance, chess was a part of noble culture; it was used to teach war strategy and was dubbed the "King's Game". Gentlemen are "to be meanly seene in the play at Chestes," says the overview at the beginning of Baldassare Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier (1528, English 1561 by Sir Thomas Hoby), but chess should not be a gentleman's main passion. Castiglione explains it further:

Photo by mharrsch; Stained and White Ivory Muslim Style Chess Set Cambodia 18th to 20th century

And what say you to the game at chestes? It is truely an honest kynde of enterteynmente and wittie, quoth Syr Friderick. But me think it hath a fault, whiche is, that a man may be to couning at it, for who ever will be excellent in the playe of chestes, I beleave he must beestowe much tyme about it, and applie it with so much study, that a man may assoone learne some noble scyence, or compase any other matter of importaunce, and yet in the ende in beestowing all that laboure, he knoweth no more but a game. Therfore in this I beleave there happeneth a very rare thing, namely, that the meane is more commendable, then the excellency.

Modern

To the Age of Enlightenment, chess appeared mainly for self-improvement. Benjamin Franklin, in his article "The Morals of Chess" (1750), wrote:

Photo by Arbitrary.Marks; Man Ray Chess Set

"The Game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions; for life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effect of prudence, or the want of it. By playing at Chess then, we may learn: I. Foresight, which looks a little into futurity, and considers the consequences that may attend an action [...] II. Circumspection, which surveys the whole Chess-board, or scene of action: - the relation of the several Pieces, and their situations [...] III. Caution, not to make our moves too hastily [...]"

More Chess Sets

Photo by mharrsch; Makonde Chess Set from East Africa African Blackwood and Blond hardwood 20th century CE

DIA; Fabergé Chess Set and Board, 1905

Chessmen

DIA; Art Deco Chess Set and Board, around 1923-25, Sèvres Manufactory, France.

Chessmen

Chessmen

DIA; Ball-on-Ball Chess Set, 19th century, Chinese.

Chessmen

Photo by Old Shoe Woman; Belonged to Napoleon

Photo by mharrsch; This Silvered and Gilded Bronze Vasari Figural Chess Set rests on a board of silver framed polished Italian onyx.

Photos by mharrsch & greatone; Chess set depicting medieval figures with a contemporary theme France 20th century CE; Unkown.

Photo by mharrsch; Muslim Ivory Chess Set India 19th to 20th century CE

DIA; Chessgame Homage to Marcel Duchamp Chess Set, 1964, Salvador Dalí

Photo by Cuppojoe; Michael Graves Design

Photo by Arimore

Photo by Kent Wang; Bauhaus chess set

Photo by Stewf; Universum Chess Set by Arthur Elliott for Anri, Italy

Header Photo by pepperazzi.

Text Quoted from wikipedia.

Image Sources: Chessmen, DIA, wikipedia, Flickr.

Other Links: The Art of Chess, Moves from classic match ups, Chess Sets 1600 - 1849.