Calder Chess Set

This long-awaited Calder Chess Set, published by Cahiers d’Art in collaboration with the Calder Foundation, faithfully recreates Calder’s most sculptural and iconic chess set — a true collector’s piece for art and design enthusiasts. 

In 1944, visionary artist Alexander Calder created an original chess set for The Imagery of Chess, a groundbreaking exhibition at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York. Of the three sets he designed in the 1940s, this was the one Calder kept for play in his Roxbury, Connecticut home.

Challenging tradition, Calder redefined the visual language of chess: the queen stands taller than the king, reflecting his belief in matriarchal balance and the guiding strength of women. The oversized knight disrupts the board, commanding attention and symbolizing his invitation to view both art and life with fresh eyes. Instead of black and white, Calder chose vibrant red and blue, rejecting notions of binary opposition or built-in superiority. 

Each piece in this Calder Chess Set has been faithfully recreated from detailed 3D scans of the original and precisely milled from solid wood, preserving the texture, scale, and spirit of Calder’s handmade work. A facsimile of a rarefied art object, it embodies the dynamic ingenuity that defines Calder’s legacy.

Details:

• Set includes 32 painted wood chess pieces in custom drawstring canvas bags, painted chess board, and yellow tray, and two archival pigment prints, stored in a cardboard presentation box.
• Limited edition of 750
• Discounts do not apply to this item