1644
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Game of Backgammon is a 1644 unspecified by David Teniers the Younger, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows two men playing backgammon in a dim room. One player checks the board while the other rolls dice. A third man watches, maybe placing a bet. Teniers fills the scene with thick, rough brushstrokes. It feels cozy but tense, like the quiet before a big wager. The light slants in just enough to highlight worried faces. Check out more Flemish genre scenes at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The game of backgammon has a long and popular history which can be traced back many centuries. The version of the game as it is played in modern times first appeared in the 1400s under various names. Its current appellation was coined around the same time as the date of this painting. Backgammon was exceptionally popular in the 1600s, and was often played for money or other wagers. The two men on the left side of this painting are clearly involved in a high stakes game of backgammon. A three-man cluster has gathered to watch them lay their bets, while another tallies their points on a…
Read the full account in the museum source.
David Teniers the Younger or David Teniers II was a Flemish Baroque painter, printmaker, and artist.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
