MINIATURIST, Spanish
(active 1280s)

Book of Chess, Dice and Tables by Alfonso X the Wise, folio 89v

1283
Manuscript (T-I-6), parchment, 404 x 274 mm
Real Biblioteca de San Lorenzo, El Escorial

This manuscript was begun and completed in the city of Seville in 1283. It is a compendium of games composed of three parts: chess (folios 1r-63v), representing intellect; dice (folios 65r-71v), representing chance; and tables (folios 72r-79v), representing a combination of both. At the end of the manuscript (folios 81r-97v), new games such as alquerque, tables, and astronomical board are also included.

The miniature on folio 89v features four figures playing a variant of the four-seasons tables, the Game of the Four Seasons, called the World.

It is played by four people, uses a round playing field and seven-sided dice. Each player has 12 game counters having colours that correspond to the seasons: Spring's pieces are green; summer's are red; autumn's are bare lack, and winter's are white.

According to a medieval allegorical concept, the four seasons are compared to the four stages of human life or the four cardinal directions.