Chess and backgammon game board

Circle of Georg Schreiber German

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 520

The amber this board is made from provides a rich golden surface across which chess pieces could be moved, a fitting stage for aristocrats to rehearse the strategic thinking used in warfare and diplomacy. Chess was both entertaining and educational, and the game was popular with affluent players, especially royal patrons. Many surviving boards and pieces were designed with such audiences in mind, using sumptuous materials and intricate decorations.

Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)

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Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)
Chess and backgammon game board, Circle of Georg Schreiber (German, active 1616–1643), Amber, ivory, brass, gold foil, ebony, German, Königsberg (Kaliningrad, Russia)

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