Het nieuw vermakelijk Kinder-Ganzenspel, voor de Nederlandsche jeugd c. 1840

This delightful board game, "Het nieuw vermakelijk Kinder-Ganzenspel," was printed by A. van Alphen in Delft. At first glance, the spiral path and numbered spaces seem straightforward enough. However, look closer, and the goose motif becomes prominent. The goose, a symbol of vigilance and prosperity, guides the player through life's twists and turns. The goose reminds me of the sacred geese of Juno in ancient Rome, whose honking warned of the Gallic invasion. Here, the goose directs the player to a cyclical journey; each space has a different illustration, which speaks to the cultural obsession with morality and education in the Netherlands. Notice the recurring image of children falling, or in trouble. The game suggests a subconscious anxiety about the unpredictable nature of childhood. It's as if the game is tapping into collective memory and subconscious desires, evoking powerful emotional states on a deep, primal level. The Goose Game is a microcosm of life itself, where the sacred and the profane dance together.