A red-robed cardinal contemplates his next move in this delightful oil on panel by Belgian artist Georges Croegaert. The vibrantly hued piece illustrates the artist’s genius at rendering charming narratives in remarkable detail. Entitled The Chess Game, the work is a superb example of Croegaert's technical virtuosity - from the luxurious table covering to the finely carved furniture to the cardinal's rich robes, every detail is meticulously depicted. With his incredible attention to detail, Croegaert has crafted a clever story in a sumptuous style that still resonates to this day.

Such works satirizing the clergy would have been severely censured just a generation earlier. Yet, by the time Croegaert picked up the brush, the French public had grown discontent with the hypocrisy of the clergy, many of whom enjoyed lavish lifestyles. Cardinal paintings such as this became highly popular during the period, and Croegaert emerged alongside Marcel Brunery and Jehan Georges Vibert as the leading painters of the genre.

Born in Antwerp in 1848, Croegaert studied at the local Academy, where he was greatly influenced by the elegant style of his relation Jan Jakob Croegaert van Bree. He moved to Paris in 1876 where he established himself as an important painter of genre scenes, society women, and, most of all, cardinals. He exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon between 1882 and 1914, as well as other locales throughout Paris, Brussels and Vienna. He experienced worldwide popularity during his lifetime, particularly amongst wealthy English and American collectors.