Bronze, wood and stone
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Chantrey Bequest
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/sir-william-reynolds-stephens-1833" aria-label="More by Sir William Reynolds-Stephens" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Sir William Reynolds-Stephens</a>
A Royal Game
Presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest 1911
actions: postures and motions
adults
chess / draughts
chess board / chequerboard
chess piece
clothing and personal items
collar
court dress
dress
dress: ceremonial/royal
Elizabeth I, Queen
emotions, concepts and ideas
government and politics
history
leisure and pastimes
man
military
military: World War I
named individuals
objects
patriotism
people
Philip II of Spain
political tension
power
recreational activities
ship, warship
sitting
society
Spanish Armada, 1588
sports and games
transport: water
universal concepts
woman
World War I - non-specific
<p>Reynolds-Stephens was one of the most inventive exponents of the New Sculpture. Here he visualises the political and religious struggle between Queen Elizabeth I and Philip of Spain as a chess game. Philip’s pieces are the ships of the Armada, the naval force sent to invade England, while Elizabeth’s are the fleet commanded by Francis Drake that destroyed them. At the time the sculpture was made Britain was engaged in a race with Germany for naval superiority. Therefore, it has links to the edgy nationalist fervour of the run up to the First World War.</p><p><em>Gallery label, February 2010</em></p>
sculpture bronze wood stone
11 September 2014 – 25 May 2015
2015-05-25
11 September 2014 – 30 November 2014
2014-11-30
2014-09-11
Yale Center for British Art (New Haven, USA)
http://ycba.yale.edu/index.asp
25 February 2015 – 25 May 2015
2015-05-25
2015-02-25
Tate Britain (London, UK)
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/
2014-09-11
Sculpture Victorious: Art in an Age of Invention, 1837-1901
Exhibition
11 September 2014 – 24 May 2015
2015-05-24
11 September 2014 – 30 November 2014
2014-11-30
2014-09-11
Yale Center for British Art (New Haven, USA)
http://ycba.yale.edu/index.asp
2014-09-11
Victorian Sculpture
Loan-out
A Royal Game
object: 2407 × 2330 × 978 mm
Presented by the Trustees of the <a href="/search?gid=999999977" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Chantrey Bequest</a> 1911
<p>Reynolds-Stephens was one of the most inventive exponents of the New Sculpture. Here he visualises the political and religious struggle between Queen Elizabeth I and Philip of Spain as a chess game. Philip’s pieces are the ships of the Armada, the naval force sent to invade England, while Elizabeth’s are the fleet commanded by Francis Drake that destroyed them. At the time the sculpture was made Britain was engaged in a race with Germany for naval superiority. Therefore, it has links to the edgy nationalist fervour of the run up to the First World War.
<br/></p>

Display caption
2010-02-18T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N02788</b> A ROYAL GAME 1906–11</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘Elizabeth of England’ b.l. and ‘Philip 11 of Spain’ b.r. on pedestal.
<br/>Bronze group with various metals and inlays, 94 3/4×91 3/4×38 1/2 (240·5×233×98).
<br/>Chantrey Purchase from the artist 1911.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> R.A., 1911 (1751), as ‘A Royal Game - an allegory of the contest between England and Spain for the rule of the seas.’
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>Royal Academy Pictures</i>, 1911, p.54; <i>Studio</i>, CXXXII, 1946, p.78.</p>
<p>Queen Elizabeth I of England and Philip II of Spain playing chess with ships. A <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/plaster-of-paris" title="Glossary definition for 'Plaster of Paris'"><span>plaster</span></a> version, with a simpler base, was exhibited at the R.A. in 1906 (1797) and is reproduced in <i>Royal <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/a/academy" title="Glossary definition for 'Academy'"><span>Academy</span></a> Pictures</i>, 1906, p.139, and <i>Studio</i>, XXXVIII, 1906, p.14.</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-09-23T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: postures and motions adults chess board / chequerboard chess / draughts chess piece clothing and personal items collar court dress dress dress: ceremonial/royal Elizabeth I, Queen emotions, concepts and ideas government and politics history leisure and pastimes man military military: World War I named individuals objects patriotism people Philip II of Spain political tension power recreational activities ship, warship sitting society Spanish Armada, 1588 sports and games transport: water universal concepts woman World War I - non-specific