Table Games

Artists have also drawn inspiration from our playful side. The painter Jan Steen, for example, depicted a group of men playing an intense game of trictrac. Scenes such as these offer a glimpse into light-hearted aspects of everyday life, but they also have something to say about the vagaries of fate and the need to make the right choices. The Game of the Goose also reflects the uncertainties of our existence by representing the course of life, with all the opportunities and dangers we encounter along the way. In the 17th century people played the Game of the Goose for money – so the lucky player who finished first won the pot!