Chessmen (32) and box
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Ivory, leather
Dimensions
Height (each king): 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm); Height (each pawn): 3 1/8 in. (7.9 cm); Overall (original box): 5 1/2 × 17 1/4 × 12 1/2 in. (14 × 43.8 × 31.8 cm)
Classification
Chess Sets
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Gustavus A. Pfeiffer, 1948
Accession Number
48.174.84a–p, aa–pp, r
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant set of 32 ivory chessmen, accompanied by its original leather box, hails from 19th-century France, a period when chess flourished as a refined parlor game among the European elite. Crafted by an unknown artist, the pieces the meticulous carving techniques of the era: kings stand at 4¾ inches (12.1 cm) tall, while pawns measure 3⅛ inches (7.9 cm), for a balanced, playable set that fits neatly into the box measuring 5½ × 17¼ × 12½ inches (14 × 43.8 × 31.8 cm). The use of ivory—a luxurious, smooth medium prized for its workability—highlights the object's status as a decorative art fo...