Chessmen (32) and board with box

Unknown

18th–19th century · Jade, brown onyx marble, bronze, mother-of-pearl · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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.

Artist

Unknown

Date

18th–19th century

Medium

Jade, brown onyx marble, bronze, mother-of-pearl

Culture

Indian

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Gustavus A. Pfeiffer, 1948