These magnificent carvings probably date from the late 12th Century, or early 13th Century. They were found on the Isle of Lewis at Uig bay sometime before 11th April 1831 and 82 were sold in Edinburgh in by Roderick Pirie and T.A. Forrest. Later 11 pieces were bought by Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe from T.A. Forrest and this division remains to this day as the collection of 82 reside with the British Museum and 11 have found a home with the Museum of Scotland. The stories relating to the finding of these pieces are several and contradictory. My favourite involves a grazing cow opening the side of an ancient mound with her horn to reveal an inner chamber. The herdsman that looked into the dark recess saw these figures and ran home believing that he had seen the court of the fey folk. His wife with a good regard of folklore and a mind to consider the value of physical evidence over the ephemeral effects of the other world sent her man back to the mound with a bag to collect the effigies in. On a closer inspection the fey folk turned into walrus ivory figures, but their ethereal beauty still entrances us to this day.
It is possible that these fine artworks belonged some several centuries ago to a merchant who could have been travelling between Ireland and Scotland. The trade lanes of the seas could well have brought these pieces from Norway where it is likely that they were carved. The Norwegian influence in the design of the carvings does point to the unknown carver using artistic motifs from Norway. There are examples of similar pieces from Lund in Sweden and drawings linking the Lewis style to Trondheim in Norway. The ornamental Romanesque style is typical of Trondheim work and a King closely resembling the Lewis chessmen was found amongst pebbles on a beach in 2000 at Bekkvika on the isle of Hitra 80km West of Trondheim. The Scandinavian link also poses questions over the game for which these playing pieces were created.
The Scandinavian Tafl or board games began to become more diverse and attract new names so the old name of Tafl although still used was supplanted by less generic terms to distinguish the new games. It is possible that these walrus ivory pieces were created for Hnefatafl where the King takes a central role on the board and needs to make his way to safety at the edges. The Hnefatafl is often translated as, "board-game of the fist," but the fist may well refer to the King and his supporters at the centre of the board as the playing surface was sometimes called the King’s Table. These beautiful figures were created around the end of 12th Century at a time when Hnefatafl was giving way to chess and it is intriguing to think that these pieces were made by a sculptor who was able to create Hnefatafl or Chessmen and to produce both game pieces depending on the desires of the players. These pieces were produced by a craftsperson capable of excellence. They show careful diligent work and touches of artistic genius.
When discovered in 1831 their passage to prominence shows their innate value. These pieces were of little use and value on Lewis to most of the Islanders and would have been of little value to the majority of people when they were originally carved. They were not considered extremely rare or valuable by the collectors that first acquired them in the 1830’s. When 11 pieces were sold in Edinburgh in 1881 at auction they were described as being discovered in the Parish of Uig on the Isle of Skye. Only once such rare carvings had been able to be seen and to be appreciated by a wider audience was there prominence secured. The beauty of the figures is undeniable, but the historic significance needed to be clearly established. By placing them in a world where such works were rare and highly prized by prominent individuals who wished to show off their opulent lifestyle with gaming pieces such as these we can see the luxury value of this set to a collector. The style of these figures is worthy of note as they were shaped at a time when a new game was demanding new playing pieces, yet the older games were still influential in the construction of pieces. These carvings record a shift in our culture and open up section of history and in so doing these small artefacts make such great statement.
The gallery was low lit to help preserve the light sensitive artefacts on display. All of the display cases were made from tinted glass to filter out harmful light sources. In this reverential setting the Chess pieces took on a mantle of grandiose status which they thoroughly deserve. These master works of the carver’s art are wonders in and of themselves and their particularly early dating sets them above many other examples as miniature statues used for gaming. These chess pieces would appear to be rare survivors of a type of intricate works created for wealthy patrons. The skill displayed in these carving shows us how the prevailing culture had developed a society in which artistic skills could be so highly rewarded that some artists were able to acquire the techniques required to produce emotionally engaging pieces that go far beyond recording their subject matter. The enduring appeal of the carvings is a testament to their ability to intimately communicate with us over a divide of centuries.
Note on lighting for photographic reference
These pictures were all taken using the available light. The light source was set low to preserve the exhibits and the cases were tinted for even more protection. The colours set by the prevailing light and tinted glass have created a look of this exhibition to the photographs. I used light reflections and refractions from the cases, walls, viewers and artefacts to weave some light tapestries over my photographic subjects. The colour casts can be seen more heavily in certain photographs due to the conditions set by the museum, but it is interesting to look at the white printed numbers near the exhibits to see the effective white balance in these pictures. These highly revered figures have been lit from above so several have a halo like quality to their appearance which only goes to confirm their iconic status.
The Lewis Chessmen Unmasked
http://www.nms.ac.uk/our_museums/national_museum/special_exhibitions/lewis_chessmen_tour.aspx
Tour dates
National Museum of Scotland
Fri 21 May-Sun 19 September 2010
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Thu 7 October-Sat 8 January 2011
Shetland Museum and Archives
Sat 29 January-Sun 27 March 2011
Museum nan Eilean, Stornoway
Fri 15 April-Mon 12 September 2011
HD film on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHgl3zr6w4c
Taken from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/
©2010 PHH Sykes
www.phhsykes.co.uk
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