Sophonisba Anguissola created her genre painting titled The Chess Game in 1555, in the midst of the Last Italian War. Presently located in Poland’s National Museum, this painting is frequently regarded as Anguissola’s finest creation. Profound beauty and technical skill doubtlessly pervade this piece, but there is a critical, albeit subtle, motif of women being empowered and learning to empower one and other. Spatially and aesthetically, this painting has no obvious focal point. Lucia’s red garments draw attention to her, though her lack of emotion relative to her sisters leaves her visage moderately muted. In the same fashion, Europa’s childlike grin may act as the hook, catching the viewer’s attention, but it is clear that the painting isn’t
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Seeing as she was the eldest of her sisters, the notion that she felt responsible for cultivating similar views in them is not farfetched. This can be seen in how she depicts the face of each subject, including even the lowly servant. Europa, the youngest sister, faces her excited grin toward Minerva, illustrating an unapologetic interest for the ongoing game. In similar fashion, Minerva looks toward the next oldest sister, Lucia. Minerva has an almost awestruck expression. As we can deduce by Lucia holding two chess pieces, she is winning. Minerva wishes to learn from her elder sister. Lucia completes the hierarchy of gazes by looking directly at Sophonisba with an expression of near stoicism. “How am I doing?” her almost smile seems to ask. Each sister looks to the next for guidance. They find empowerment not from male authorities but from each other. Let us not forget the servant, observing from the sidelines with both trepidation and intrigue. Perhaps she muses “If these little girls can be so powerful, what’s stopping me?” The social significance of The Chess Game may have gone unseen during its contemporary period. Although that idea is potentially tragic, it adds another layer of beauty to the complexity of the work. What one may see as a simple depiction of sisters enjoying a game, another can interpret as an early
Seeing as she was the eldest of her sisters, the notion that she felt responsible for cultivating similar views in them is not farfetched. This can be seen in how she depicts the face of each subject, including even the lowly servant. Europa, the youngest sister, faces her excited grin toward Minerva, illustrating an unapologetic interest for the ongoing game. In similar fashion, Minerva looks toward the next oldest sister, Lucia. Minerva has an almost awestruck expression. As we can deduce by Lucia holding two chess pieces, she is winning. Minerva wishes to learn from her elder sister. Lucia completes the hierarchy of gazes by looking directly at Sophonisba with an expression of near stoicism. “How am I doing?” her almost smile seems to ask. Each sister looks to the next for guidance. They find empowerment not from male authorities but from each other. Let us not forget the servant, observing from the sidelines with both trepidation and intrigue. Perhaps she muses “If these little girls can be so powerful, what’s stopping me?” The social significance of The Chess Game may have gone unseen during its contemporary period. Although that idea is potentially tragic, it adds another layer of beauty to the complexity of the work. What one may see as a simple depiction of sisters enjoying a game, another can interpret as an early