Sir Julian Huxley mentioned a famous painting after his description of the universe as a chess-board, the pieces as natural phenomena and the rules as those of nature. He wrote: "My metaphor will remind some of you of the famous picture in which Retzsch has depicted Satan playing at chess with man for his soul." I found the reproduction of the painting and of an engraving, that I'm posting now with a foot-note that offers a few data collected from various sources in the internet*.

 

The "Life Game" allegory, by M.Retzsch, depicts Satan with the black pieces (=vices) making a move against a Christian  (white pieces=virtues), a religious message that is absent from Huxley's "metaphor." 

I can only wonder if Nabokov was familiar with either Huxley's conference, or with the Retzsch painting or any etching made from it.

Nabokov might have been aware of one of the literary sources that is attributed to it ( Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress"** and the quote, related to the spirit of a suimate ,ie, the loser in the game is the victor of the puzzle). He'd certainly read Goethe's "Faust." Some of these sources may have lain behind his project in "The Defense." Then there's the Morphy anedocte.***

 

What strikes me in connection to the Retzsch imagery is the fact that it seems to rely on a manicheistic division between evil and goodness (the black versus the white pieces), as if Man didn't carry both vice and virtue in his soul. 

I tried to check this idea against Nabokov's project related to Luzhin in his madness, when he strives (against what forces? They cannot be his "sanity" but, as Nabokov once suggested, they could be "his genius") to win eternity, by sacrificing his earthly cotidian life.

 

What strikes me in the Morphy anedocte is the report that most people need to consider it as some kind of a legend, as if Morphy couldn't have sketched a game that would establish the supremacy of a Christian against the Devil. It is as if Satan, in the Retzsch allegory, had designed the game himself.  

 

 

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* - 1. Friedrich Moritz August Retzsch (1779-1857): Die Schachspieler oil on panel 12 x 15.3/8in. (32.3 x 39cm.) PROVENANCE Queen Isabella II of Spain (1830-1904). Monsieur Chappuis, a gift from the above. E. Constantin, Paris, acquired from the above in 1898, and thence by descent. NOTES Moritz Retzsch, like many artists of his generation, was fascinated by Faust. Die Schachspieler, while not an explicitly Faustian episode, is full of Faustian flavour in its rich allegory of the Devil's battle for a man's soul. The position of the chessboard, to take just one element, placed squarely on the lid of a sarcophagus, leaves the spectator in no doubt as to this particular endgame. The two principal protagonists in this drama face one another across the board. Satan, resplendent in his green cape and a red-feathered cap, glowers across at Man, whose soft, classical features are buried deep in troubled contemplation. Man is watched over by his guardian angel. Her dark expression, however, hints that no intervention is planned and Satan's seat - his throne - boasts the sinister decoration of a fierce, snarling lion's head, its feet resting on the classic momento mori, a grizzly skull, indicating the likely outcome of the match. The chess pieces themselves represent the struggle. The black King's modelling echoes the mantle and cap of his master, urging his soldiers onwards. The figure immediately in front of the King tramples on a cross, alluding to Satan's avowed aim of destroying Christ's church, while the griffin-headed monster to his left raises his left arm as though in peace meanwhile hiding a vicious stiletto behind his back. Such terrible intent is repeated throughout the black pieces, who advance, seemingly without respite, on the virtuous white set. This advance is rhymed by the approach of the spider towards Man which, with its power to spin a fatal web, symbolises Satan's mission to ensare the believer. Offering some insight into the brooding personality of Retzsch is Mrs Jameson, an English commentator who, upon visiting the artist's studio in Dresden in 1833, wrote: 'I saw in Retzsch's atelier...the head of an angel smiling. He said he was often pursued by dark, haunted by melancholy forebodings, desponding over himself and his art "and he resolved to create an angel for himself, which would smile upon him out of heaven"' (Mrs Jameson, Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad, London, 1834, p. 125);  2. FREDRICH August Moritz, an eminent German painter and engraver, was b. in Dresden, Dec. 9, 1779, studied at the academy of his native city, where he became a professor in 1834. Retzsch died July 11, 1857. He has acquired great celebrity by his illustrations in outline of the great German poets, Schiller, Goethe, etc. — those of Goethe's Faust being particularly well known, not only in his own country, but also in France and England. His illustrations of Fouques charming romances, Undine and Sintram, are singularly beautiful. Retzsch likewise executed several fine works, the subjects of which are taken from the classical mythology, as " The Child Bacchus asleep on a Panther," "Diana," "Love and Psyche embracing in the Clouds ""A Satyr and Nymph." "The Four Epochs of Human Life," etc. Among his other works of conspicuous merit are: " The Struggle of Light and Darkness," " The Chess Players." and "Fantasies." Retzsch ranks as one of the most original, thoughtful, and vigorous artists of modern Germany. His works display the presence of a strong, inventive, and cultured imagination, whose efforts at expression never degenerated into a weak scutimentalism. As a miniature oil-painter Retzsch was also very successful"; 3. (information provided in a discussion about The Morphy Anecdote, provided in 1837 by "The Saturday Magazine") "Genius will display itself in almost anything. And judging from the specimens we have seen, we should say that Moritz Retzsch was the very genius of Etching; at the same time, the Milton and the Shakespeare of the pencil and graver. He was born at Dresden in 1779. His etchings illustrating Goethe's "Faust," which were published in 1812, at once established his reputation, both in Germany and other countries. These were followed by his illustrations of Schiller, of Shakespeare, of Burger's "Lenore," and his " Ballads," and also, of other popular works. He was not only highly esteemed as a portrait painter, but was preeminent among the artists of his time as an original designer in outline. His illustrations of " Faust," in particular, have rarely, if ever, been surpassed by any works of the kind; while his "Hope Deceived," 'The Scourging of Genius," "The Repose of Love," and " The Soul of Man, or the Sphinx," all evince original, inventive, and powerful talent. He died at Dresden, in 1857. But of all the etchings of Retzsch, perhaps the most striking and effective is the one, the title of which is (in part) at the head of this article. It is called "The Chess Players," or " The Game of Life." In this, with a power and felicity that belong only to genius, Retzsch has pictured to us a scene and forms, that fill ??, as we gaze, with terror and thoughtfulness and grief. We are amazed and delighted with his " fancies " of such wondrous power. We fear and tremble as we think of their reference to ourselves. He has given us a design, of which it is hardly too much to say. that it should be hung up in the study of every artist, in the chamber of every young man, "in the closet of every father's meditations, and in the oratory or every mother's prayers." It is the devil, playing with a young man, the game for his soul We take the description of it, mainly from the letterpress, which was issued with the engraving./ The scenery, as might be expected, is chosen with reference to the fearful thought to be expressed. The place where the game is played, is in keeping with the presence of that dark and terrible being, whom we associate with all that is alarming and horrible. It is a wide vault, its arch formed by two lizard-shaped monsters, whose misshapen heads rest on the claws with which they adhere closely to two pillars, down which they seem to be creeping. The upper surface of a tomb within this vault is chiselled into a chess-board; and on this is played, by the two antagonists, the game of life—the game of Satan for the young man's soul!/On one side sits Man, as a fair and noble looking youth, his head, with its curling locks, resting on his hand, and his countenance, as well it might be, full of serious and anxious thought. Opposite, sits Satan, the prince of darkness, seated in a chair, one of the arms of which is a lion, open-mouthed, as if "seeking whom he may devour ;" while, lower down, is seen one of the claws resting on the skull of some previous antagonist, who has been beaten in the game, and then destroyed by the evil one. About his shoulders is a broad cloak, from which his bony hand and claw-like fingers are put forth for the game. In his cap is the long and crooked feather from the cock's tail, which, with the ancients, was the emblem of cunning and malice. The features of his countenance are noble, for he is still an angel, though fallen; but their expression, as is fitting to his fallen state, is devilish and hateful, full of coldness, and falsehood, and cruelty. His brow is knit, and his eye fixed, with malicious eagerness, on the game, while the hand covering the chin may either conceal an expectant and exulting smile that the prize will soon be won, or hide the lip compressed, and the teeth set with vexatious fear that his antagonist may possibly win./ Between the two players, and a little in the back ground, stands an angel, gentle and lovely, with outspread wings, the guardian spirit of the young man. To drive him away, is beyond the power of Satan. Only the young man himself can renounce, and thus banish him. But, on the other hand, the angel, like conscience can only warn and counsel, not absolutely control his conduct. This guardian spirit is looking down in sorrow on the game, and in view of its critical state, seems almost ready to despair and depart, and yet is still waiting in hope for the best./And now for the game itself. On Satan's side, the King is his own image, muffled, indeed, in a cloak, but still known at once. His Queen, a voluptuous female, with uncovered bosom, is Pleasure; her left hand pointing to her own seductive charms, while her right holds out the intoxicating cup. The six officers of Satan are six vices. The first is Indolence; with heavy form, and hanging arms, and stupid look, sitting idly on an unhewn block of wood. The second is Anger; rash and headlong, like the turkey-cock, that flies into a rage with every object, and having the head of that easily excited bird. The third is Pride, moving stiffly forward, with a feather crown, and bead tossed backward, a» if in scorn; with spurs on the heels, and an order on the breast; a full purse in one hand, and the other stretched haughtily forth, as if giving a command. He seems looking back at his splendid peacock's tail, which, as it is spread for display, hides from his own eyes the uncomely parts which it exposes to the view of others. The fourth is Falsehood; spotted like a tiger, and with a head like a cat; one hand on the breast, as if to assure good faith, while the other conceals a dagger behind her back. The fifth is Avarice, with Envy, as one person, bent and lean, gnawing its own hand, and pressing a casket, under its arras. The sixth and last, is Unbelief, a bold and impudent figure, horned, and with hands to its sides, as if in token of self-sufficiency, and overthrowing a cross with its foot. The eight pawns are Doubts; small, harpy shaped creatures, with wings like bats, emblematic of darkness, and sharp teeth, ready to bite and devour./On the side of the young man, his own soul is the King, with a broad robe firmly drawn about him, and the wings of the butterfly on his shoulders, in token of his immortality. His Queen is Religion, the most powerful of all defenders ; a noble, majestic female, with angel wings; one hand outstretched, as though giving protection, and the other holding the cross, the emblem of the faith. The first, of his officers is Hope, resting on her anchor, and looking forward as though in expectation. The second is Truth, with a lighted torch and a reflecting shield, standing with Hope, as a castle, on her side. The third is Peace, with the palm branch in her hand The fourth is Humility, with her head bent in prayer, and her person plainly clad. The fifth is Innocence, as a naked child, unsuspecting and guileless, and stretching forth its arms confidingly to all. And sixth, and last, is Love—two children affectionately embracing each other, with cheek pressed to cheek, while above them is a bright single star. The pawns are Angel Heads, winged and worshipping, signifying prayers; for, as in the game of chess, an officer lost may be recovered by a pawn, so a spiritual loss may often he recovered by prayer./ Such are the pieces on either side. As to the game, it stands ill for the young man. His adversary has already weakened the power of prayer, by taking from him several angel heads. Love is lost; Innocence is lost; Humility is gone; and Peace, just seized, is still in the grasp of Satan. Pleasure, Unbelief, and Evil Doubts, are all urgently pressing forward against Religion; while she still stands, tranquil and sublime, protecting man, who though attacked in so many ways, is yet safe, and may hope for escape so long as she is not given up. Unhappy man has only vanquished Anger, and overcome a single Doubt. And the danger of hie position is been, also, in the figures sculptured on the sarcophagus, viz., Psyche, (the soul,) alarmed at the approach of Death ; two Death's heads, with tieshless jaws, seizing on her wings— she, horror struck, endeavoring to escape, knowing that if she can get away from her phantom tormentors, they, rooted and fixed as they are in the marble, will be unable to follow her, so that tho terrors of the grave will not overcome the soul./ Such is the striking allegory—bold, original, in perfect keeping in all its parts, and in all full of meaning. No one could have wrought it out but an artist of wondrous and almost fearful power, and of terrible acquaintance with tho realities of life ami the dangers that beset the soul. It speaks, in every line, of all that is most serious in life, and dangerous in our earthly probation. It admonishes in solemn tones of the temptations that always beset us, and warns us that through indolence, pride, falsehood, avarice, envy, unbelief, and evil doubts, the soul is exposed to ruin,—and that it is only by struggling with and overcoming these, we are safe. On the other hand, it inculcates truth, humility, and love; peace, which flows only from a good conscience, innocence, with its child-like spirit, and hope with its cheerful courage,—the pledge of effort, and the presage of victory. It tells us that prayer is the best shield against temptation ; and above all, that while religion is preserved, we are safe,—while if she is sacrificed, all is lost./ Deeply let these lessons be pondered. especially by the young,—and above all, by young men. Let every one remember that "The Game of Life" is in progress, and the stake, to each, is his own soul!  -Byron Edwards, D.D. from The International cyclopedia by Selim H. Peabody and Charles F. Richardson 1898: