Schaakbord met inleg van ivoor, messing en parelmoer 1869 - 1887

Curator: This object here at the Rijksmuseum is quite special: a chessboard crafted between 1869 and 1887, inlaid with ivory, brass, and mother-of-pearl. An elaborate, opulent thing. Editor: My first impression? Controlled chaos! The chessboard itself is almost lost in a sea of figures and decorative elements, but the light seems to give them life. Are these individual pieces recognizable at all? Curator: Oh, absolutely. Though abstracted, the chess pieces themselves seem to mimic societal archetypes. Warriors, royalty, perhaps religious figures – all contained within that highly stylized frame. It also evokes a sense of looking into a window. Editor: Interesting… the game as a microcosm of society. Chess has such deep symbolic roots anyway, reflecting strategic battles and the power dynamics between opposing sides. That framing element intensifies the feeling that it’s all enclosed, almost like watching players move on stage. It definitely feels charged, in some sort of way. The borders surrounding the play field seem just as busy as the pieces in motion. Are there any visual signifiers repeated? Curator: Repeated images? There appear to be animals such as various winged birds and fantastical elements in each section of the square surrounding the main action. Think about ivory and pearl…these aren’t just aesthetically pleasing materials but carry their own cultural weight – status, purity, trade… everything here feels deliberately chosen to amplify meaning. Also the borders might indicate that there's something else beyond. Something powerful or mysterious lurking in those areas beyond human reason or action. Editor: And think about that stark contrast - the ordered game and the decorative frame's explosion of figures. Maybe it suggests that the rational game of chess, or any rational system for that matter, exists within, or perhaps even against a backdrop of irrationality, the unknown, the instinctive… It almost suggests something ominous, as a background like that is not necessarily friendly. Is there any story beyond? Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to consider our roles within systems, our strategies in a world filled with unpredictable forces, that are unknown. The chessboard offers rules but look beyond. Editor: A potent reminder. We're looking at far more than just a game board! Curator: Indeed. Art invites us to contemplate and imagine all while reflecting.