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The Card Players, 1520. Creator: Lucas van Leyden
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The Card Players, 1520. Creator: Lucas van Leyden
The Card Players, 1520.
A woman flanked by two men seated around a circular table that occupies the foreground of the painting. On the table top, which has a print of fleurs-de-lys, are a number of small stacks of cards and piles of money. The woman, positioned frontally, points to the jack of spades while the young man on our left has the king of spades in his hand and looks at the other man who shows him the eight of spades. The scene takes place in an exterior that contains a limited number of elements, including a tree trunk, a rustic fence and an area of blue sky. It has been suggested that it is a possibly an allegory of love in which two men are rivals for the woman's favours and in which the young man on the left has the advantage, indicated by the king of spades in his hand. The painting has also been read in a political key, in which the three figures could be Charles V on the left, Margaret of Austria, regent of the Low Countries, and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, ambassador of Henry VIII of England. This encounter would symbolise the pact between Charles and Henry against the French monarch
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Art Museum Austria Margaret Of Card Game Card Player Card Players Cardinal Thomas Wolsey Cardinal Wolsey Cards Carlos I Carlos V Charles I Charles I Of Spain Charles Quint Charles V Holy Roman Emperor Charles V Of Austria Charles V Of Spain Duchess Of Savoy Emperor Charles V Fleur De Lis Fleur De Lys Gambling Game Game Of Cards Huyghensz Lucas Huyghenszoon Lucas Jack King Charles V Of Castile Knave Leyden Lucas Of Leyden Lucas Van Lucas Hugensz Lucas Huyghensz Lucas Huyghenszoon Lucas Jacobsz Lucas Of Leyden Lucas Van Leyden Margaret Of Austria Museo Nacional Thyssen Bornemisza Museo Thyssen Bornemisza Museum Of Art Playing Cards Spades Thomas Wolsey Thyssen Bornemisza Collection Thyssen Bornemisza Museum Tree Trunk Treetrunk Van Leyden Lucas Wolsey Cardinal Thomas Wolsey Thomas Cardinal Jack Of Spades King Of Spades Margaret Of Savoy Pastime
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EDITORS COMMENTS
Step into a world of intrigue and strategy with 'The Card Players', a captivating masterpiece by Dutch artist Lucas van Leyden, created in 1520. This exquisite print depicts three individuals gathered around a circular table, surrounded by the serenity of nature - a tree trunk, rustic fence, and blue sky. The focal point is the woman seated at the center, pointing to the jack of spades as her two companions engage in a game of cards.
The young man on our left holds the king of spades in his hand, while gazing intently at his opponent who reveals an eight of spades. This seemingly innocent card game may hold deeper meanings - some art historians propose that it's an allegory for love, where two men vie for the woman's affections and one has a clear advantage.
Others have interpreted this scene as a political statement, with Charles V on our left, Margaret of Austria in the center, and Cardinal Thomas Wolsey representing Henry VIII of England. This encounter would symbolize the alliance between these powerful figures against their French counterpart.
Van Leyden's 'The Card Players' is more than just an intriguing game - it invites us to ponder the complexities of human relationships and power dynamics. As we gaze upon this 16th-century masterpiece, we're reminded that art has always been a reflection of society's values and desires.
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