Description
Josef Hartwig Bauhaus Chess Set.
Offered here is a reproduction of the original Josef Hartwig Bauhaus Chess Set design. The minimilist wooden pieces are red and white lacquered. The King measures 2” by 1”. The chessmen are in as new condition. No chessboard is included, but a suitable chessboard can be found here.
The striking of this chess set design is its purity of form. The moves of the individual pieces embody their representation. The Rook is represented by a compact cube with a correspondingly larger volume than a pawn or knight. The bishop, on the other hand, appears as crossing diagonals signifying its move. In this manner, the pieces harmonize with the chessboard, since they do not contrast, but rather blend into symmetry.
Hartwig’s work was characterized by his desire to simplify the game of chess and bring it into a minimalist form. His design was based on the idea that each piece had a specific geometric shape and size to make its movements on the chessboard more intuitive and reduce the complexity of the game.
Josef Hartwig’s Bauhaus Chess set design is a perfect example of the Bauhaus philosophy of simplicity, functionality, and innovative aesthetics. It was invented in 1923 and quickly became a classic of its genre. The chess men are a timeless combination of art and design. What is imperceptibly special about the Bauhaus design philosophy is simplicity.
