Chessmen

Unknown

18th century · Ivory · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

The set was made for use by Muslims, and there is no suggestion of what the pieces originally represented. The captial pieces are somewhat massive and, in decreasing measure, are king, queen, and rook (using Western nomenclature). The bishop and knight are more spindly, the bishop being the taller, and both exceeding the king in height, a peculiarity also to be seen in Kurdish sets.

Artist

Unknown

Date

18th century

Medium

Ivory

Culture

Indian

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Gustavus A. Pfeiffer, 1948