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Chess and goose game board

late 16th century
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 520
One side of this work may be the earliest example in existence of a board for playing goose, a game that was first made popular at the Medici court in Florence. Dice-throwing contestants race to the center while trying to avoid landing on certain symbols. The board’s design follows an Italian Renaissance print, but the workmanship of the inlay is likely that of Gujarati artisans in Western India, who produced various works including shell for the Northern European market.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Chess and goose game board
  • Date: late 16th century
  • Culture: Indian, Gujarat
  • Medium: Ebony, ebonized wood, ivory, horn, gold wire
  • Dimensions: Overall: 1 1/8 × 16 1/2 × 16 15/16 in. (2.9 × 41.9 × 43 cm)
  • Classification: Chess Sets
  • Credit Line: Pfeiffer Fund, 1962
  • Object Number: 62.14
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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