The Metaphysical Space of the Game: Chess as an Attribute of Memento Mori in Works of Fine Art

Abstract

This article examines the motif of chess as a metaphor for life and death in medieval fine art. The works presented in the article are analyzed within the framework of the religious worldview of the Middle Ages, including Rogier van der Weyden’s altar triptych The Seven Sacraments (1440–1445), the fresco Death Playing Chess (1480) from the church in Töby (Sweden), and the graphic composition Death Checkmates the King by Master BR (late 15th century). Two main motifs are identified in Memento mori artworks featuring chess: the chessboard itself and the chess match between man and Death. A connection is traced between ancient board games and chess as a conceptual model for understanding cosmological order and the transition to the afterlife. The article argues that the conventional interpretation of chess symbolism – based solely on the contrast between black and white – only partially captures the depth of its meaning. An alternative interpretation of chess symbolism is proposed, grounded in the medieval cosmological concepts of the four-part world – Forma Quadrata Mundi (“the square form of the world”) and Mundus Tetragonus (“the quadrangular world”) – which enriches and expands the understanding of chess symbolism. This reinterpretation approaches the motif of “playing chess with Death” through the lens of theocentrism – the foundation of medieval thought – in which all things are governed by divine will, religion, and Church doctrine, and truth is revealed through Scripture, whose interpretation stood at the centre of medieval spiritual culture. The dual symbolism of the chessboard and pieces, as well as the game of chess itself, is examined in the context of late medieval religious doctrine, which viewed the game both as a spiritual exercise promoting the cultivation of virtues, common in (vita religiosa (religious life)), and as a sinful pastime fostering vice. The study focuses on the metaphysical nature of chess, known from its early history as a game, once used to divine the will of the gods. The findings presented here open prospects for further research and may serve as a foundation for future theoretical studies on the iconography and symbolism of memento mori imagery in the visual arts.