Chessmen (32) and board with box
The chessmen, which were cut on the lapidary's wheel from cylindrical shapes, are nonfigural except for the knight, which terminates in a horse's head, and the rook, which terminates in an elephant's head. The other pieces are balusterlike, the king, queen, and pawns being very similar in shape, diminishing in size. The bishops are spindle-like. The set showns a fusion of Hindu and European influences in a basic nonfigural set; the former in the displacement of the elephant as bishop and its identification with the rook. The horse head suggests English influence. The set was acquired in Bombay. A board that came with it has a molding and ball feet of gilt bronze, and squares of jade and striated onyx marble, each inlaid in the center with mother-of-pearl stars.
Artwork Details
- Title: Chessmen (32) and board with box
- Date: 18th–19th century
- Culture: Indian
- Medium: Jade, brown onyx marble, bronze, mother-of-pearl
- Dimensions: Height (green king, confirmed): 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm);
Height (green pawn, confirmed): 7/8 in. (2.2 cm);
Height (brown king, confirmed): 1 15/16 in. (4.9 cm);
Height (brown pawn, confirmed): 15/16 in. (2.4 cm);
Overall (board, confirmed): 14 1/8 × 14 1/8 × 1 3/8 in. (35.9 × 35.9 × 3.5 cm);
Overall (original box): 3 3/4 × 15 1/2 × 15 1/2 in. (35.9 × 35.9 × 3.5 cm) - Classification: Chess Sets
- Credit Line: Gift of Gustavus A. Pfeiffer, 1948
- Object Number: 48.174.43a–p, aa–pp, q, r
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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late 18th–early 19th century
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late 16th century
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early 19th century
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