De Ludo Scachorum
This special publication of the famous treatise about the game of chess by the Italian mathematician Luca Pacioli is a true historical treasure: an original Pacioli manuscript from ca. 1500. Over 100 chess problems were clarified on the manuscriptβs 48 pages and were depicted in detailed illustrations β possibly from Pacioliβs friend and colleague Leonardo da Vinci. This treasure was rediscovered in the year 2006, making the history of this work even more interesting!
De Ludo Scachorum
Luca Pacioli (1445β1517) is one of the most famous Italian mathematicians of the Renaissance. The document De divina proportione is considered to be his magnum opus, nonetheless, Pacioli also composed numerous other important works and made breakthrough discoveries. Additionally, he was close friends with Leonardo da Vinci, whom he met in Milan while they were both working for Ludovico il Moro. Pacioli and Leonardo worked closely together henceforth. Therefore, it is not implausible that Leonardo also illustrated Pacioliβs chess treatise with a few sketches of his own.
The Fascination with the Game of Kings
The original manuscript of the treatise De Ludo Scachorum, also known as the Schifanoia, consists of a 48-page booklet measuring 11.5 x 16 cm. It can be dated to ca. 1500 and, alongside the text, contains detailed depictions of chessboards with red and black figures. A total of 117 games are described in this way, sometimes in the new a la rabiosa technique. As a passionate chess player, Pacioli was enchanted by this extremely complex, mathematically logical game, depicting here the solution and explanation for various chess problems and positions.
A Precious Original
This treasure, which can be found today stored under the shelf mark ms. 7955 in the Archivio Crononini Cronberg in Italy, can look back on an eventful provenance. The document was originally dedicated to the important Margravine of Mantua Isabella dβEste and her husband Gianfrancesco Gonzaga. Mentioned by the author in his own writings, the famous manuscript fell into obscurity and was first rediscovered in 2006 at its modern repository. Count Guglielmo Coronini previously acquired the manuscript in Venice in 1963.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- On the Game of Chess
Schifanoia
Γber das Schachspiel
De Ludo Scacorum - Size / Format
- 48 pages / 16.0 Γ 11.5 cm
- Origin
- Italy
- Date
- Ca. 1500
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- Over 100 educational positions and chess problems, drawn in red and black
- Artist / School
- Luca Pacioli (ca. 1447β 1517)
Leonardo da Vinci (1452β1519)
De Ludo Scachorum
Checkmate
Outnumbered and backed into a corner, the black king is facing certain defeat. Supported either by bishops or knights (the symbols for each are nearly impossible to discern from one another), the two red rooks have cut off the black kingβs routes of escape β his only move now is to concede defeat. Potential moves are identified with the lowercase initials βaβ, βbβ, and βcβ. As we see here, the miniatures of this manuscript are clear, practical, and stripped of artistic embellishment.
De Ludo Scachorum
Opening Moves
Pacioliβs various chess problems are presented in this manner: a simple grid with red and black pieces. The grid is perfect, obviously made with the help of a table square, and contrasts with sloppily-written commentary in the upper and lower margins that has been crossed out for an inexplicable reason. Here we see the beginning of a game.
The shape of the pawns is immediately familiar, as is the queen, but the rest are not. It takes a discerning eye to differentiate between the rooks, knights, and bishops. Various opening moves are identified with red letters in the field between the opposing sides in this simple, clear, and instructive diagram.
#1 De Ludo Scachorum (Special Collection Edition)
Language: Italian
(1,000β¬ - 3,000β¬)
#2 De Ludo Scachorum (Circulating Stacks Edition)
Language: Italian
(under 1,000β¬)
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