Engraving of The Turk
Title:
Engraving of The Turk
Photographer:
Racknitz, Joseph
Date:
1789
Credit Line:
Courtesy of the Library Company of Philadelphia
Accession:
L062302012
Description:
In 1770, Hungarian inventor Wolfgang von Kempelen created a chess-playing automaton called The Turk whose human-like playing qualities amazed audiences across Europe and America. Some observers guessed the secret that was a mystery for most of its career: the source of its playing strength was a human chess player hidden inside.