Queen (Stutira from Persia), 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(38)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of 19th-century educational games with *Queen (Stutira from Persia)*, a delightful playing card from the *Court Game of Geography*, crafted by British engravers William and Henry Rock between1838 and 1855. This petite print, measuring just 3 3/4 × 2 1/2 inches, captures the exotic allure of Persian royalty, featuring Queen Stutira as a regal figure in the game's courtly hierarchy. Produced during the height of Victorian fascination with global exploration and history, such games blended entertainment with learning, assigning kings, queens, and knaves to represent ...
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...