The Famous Chess Match between Howard Staunton and Pierre Charles Fournier de Saint-Amant, on 16 December 1843, Jean-Henri Marlet

Jean-henri marlet depicts the 19th game in a chess match between howard staunton and pierre charles fournier de saint-amant which took place on 16 december 1843. Howard staunton (1810 – 1874) was a british actor and shakespeare scholar. He only learnt to play chess at the age of 20, and between 1843 and 1851 was regarded as the world’s best player. Pierre charles fournier de saint-amant (1800 – 1872) was a secretary in the paris city government. He was the leading french chess master and publisher of the chess periodical “le palamède”. In the summer of 1843 saint-amant won a match against howard staunton in london. Consequently staunton challenged saint-amant to a further match in november/december 1843 in the famous parisian chess coffee house café de la régence. This match was regarded as the unofficial world championship. Of 21 games staunton won 11, lost 6 and drew 4 times. A lithograph of this painting by alexandre leemlein (1812 – 1871) also exists, although leemlein altered several of the famous personalities depicted, causing quite an uproar. Object Type: painting. Date: between circa 1843 and circa 1845. Dimensions: height: 71 cm (27.9 in); width: 91.5 cm (36 in). Medium: oil on canvas. Jean Henri Marlet Das berühmte Schachspiel zwischen Howard Staunton und Pierre Charles Fourrier Saint-Amant 1843