Queen (Neala from Canada), from "Court Game of Geography"
1838–55
Medium
Engraving,etching, and hand coloring (watercolor)
Dimensions
3 3/4 × 2 1/2 in. (9.5 × 6.4 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of the Estate of James Hazen Hyde, 1959
Accession Number
59.654.16(51)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate hand-colored print, titled *Queen (Neala from Canada)*, comes from the “Court Game Geography,” a nineteenth-century card game published between1838 and 185 by William and Henry. Designed as a playing, the engraving presents an allegorical queen representing Canada, shown with an infant in a tender nursing scene. Such games combined entertainment with instruction, helping players learn about countries and cultures through illustrated court cards rather than dry maps or textbooks. Measuring just 3¾ by 2½ inches, the work was created through engraving and etching, then finished wit...
About the Artist
William and Henry Rock · 1821–1884
William and Henry Rock were British brothers and publishers active in London during the mid-19th century, renowned for their innovative educational playing card games that blended art, geography, and entertainment. Operating from 11 Walbrook after 1838, they produced hand-colored engravings that transformed standard card decks into pedagogical tools, with suits representing the four quarters of th...