- DIMENSIONS:
- Height 75 mm; Width (max) 58 mm
- DESCRIPTION:
- Walrus-ivory carving representing two mounted
knights in combat. Each is clad in a hauberk with the sleeves extended
to form mufflers (mittens), and with a surcoat over, belted at the
waist. Each wears a flat-topped barrel helm with a horizontal eye-slot
and cruciform face-guard. The upper leg of one knight is marked with
incised parallel lines, probably indicating quilted defenses known
as gamboised cuisses, while stab-marks on the lower leg imply mail
chausses. Fastenings for spurs are indicated on the feet, but the
goads are lacking in each case. Each knight carries a curving heater-shaped
shield with incised margins, one marked by single lines and the other
by double lines. One is armed with a broad sword with a D-shaped pommel,
straight guard, and fullered blade, which he brandishes at head height;
the other has a lance, held overarm and point upwards. The latter
figure is curiously twisted, his right foot reversed in the stirrup
and his head facing backwards. The saddles have high pommels and cantles
and rest on plain saddle-cloths; there are no indications of girths.
The stirrups hang from the pommel and are worn long; the stirrup-irons
are not detailed, each being shown merely as a split at the end of
the leather. Both horses wear breast-bands and bridles with annular
cheek-pieces. The horses themselves have long manes and tails, the
tail of one being braided. Traces of gilt survive on the belts and
harness of both figures and on the shield of one of them: traces of
dark pigment can be seen on the mail armour of both and may also originally
have covered their helms. The two figures are separated at front and
rear by head-high foliate scrolls which spring from the base of the
piece and fill the spaces otherwise left in the composition.
- COMMENTARY:
- Although Murray, author of the standard work on
the history of chess, declared himself unconvinced that this carving
representing two knights was necessarily a chess-man, subsequent publication
of a series of closely related but more conventional pieces, each
featuring a single knight, has put its identification beyond doubt.
Differing opinions have been expressed concerning the origins of the
piece in the Tradescant collection. While scholars have favoured both
French and English derivations, the latter seems to be the more generally
accepted, for there are similarities between the chess-man and the
manuscript illuminations of Matthew Paris and his contemporaries.
- Museum Id. No:
- 1656 p. 38:
Divers rare and antient pieces carved
in Ivory
- 1685 A no. 587:
Duo pugiles equestres ex Ebore sculpti
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